


Sara Lance origin story in the League of Assassins

by saracanarythebest



Series: Sara Lance and Nyssa Al Ghul origin story [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), Nyssara - Fandom, Sara Lance - Fandom
Genre: F/F, Nyssara, POV Sara Lance, Past Nyssa al Ghul/Sara Lance, The League of Assassins (DCU), Young Sara Lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-09-07 05:15:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 39,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16847839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saracanarythebest/pseuds/saracanarythebest
Summary: This is the origin story of Sara Lance in the League of Assassin and how she became the Canary and met Nyssa Al Ghul and started their relationship. The story starts of how they meet and Nyssa nurse Sara back to health and then lead her to the League of assassins. Sara faces multiple challenges and hard training in this completely new world to become a warrior but also fells in love with Nyssa. They experience adventures together which brings them closer and bonds them over their mutual love for justice and desire to help women.Sara Lance origin story part 2





	1. Chapter 1

Nyssa was looking through the horizon and a tick smoke was filling the air. The ship was moving slowly now, the sea was calm with almost no waves and the wind was just slightly brushing her sides gentle and warm. But the sight in front of her was bothering her, there was a ship wreck and the smoke was coming from there with every meter they were approaching getting more unpleasant and suffocating. When they reached closer to the scene, Nyssa had a chance to have a good look at the ship, it was a freighter – big metal ship, which looked broken and half of it was underwater. It was near the riffs of an island the ship was stuck. There was still smoke coming from the surface of burning fuel and Nyssa pulled the thin silk scarf to cover her mouth. The island was called Lian Yu a small island the east Chinese sea and Nyssa’s father had told her to visit this place. She didn’t asked why just obeyed his orders.

  * There is nothing here princess – the voice came from a tall muscular man dressed in black ninja clothes which cover his face, only his eyes were visible.
  * We have to look more carefully, we didn’t came here for nothing. I have to bring something to my father- Nyssa answered with steady voice demanding respect and no objections. The man bowed and gave some instructions to the captain.



The ship move forward and circled the wreckage. That’s when Nyssa noticed something on the shore. There were parts of the ship, metal and wood, but also something else. The first body, she was pleased.

  * It’s probably dead – said the man with no emotions
  * We have to go and check it out, get the boat. – the man obeyed and him and Nyssa got on the shore quickly.



The sand was soft but black and she could still smell the awful smell of the smoke. There in front of her was lying motionless a body covered in soot and blood with long blond hair. Nyssa kneeled and turned it so she can see the face. It belonged to a woman, young with beautiful features she observed. She put the woman to lay on her back, gently removed the hair from her face and checked her breathing.

  * She is alive – she screamed to the man with her – Help me to carry her on the boat and call the others to look for more survivors.



The man picked the body of the blond woman and carried her to the boat. In a while she was carried to the ship and Nyssa ordered to put her in one of the chambers. The man threw her on the bed and distanced himself.

  * That’s all – said Nyssa – now you can leave



She approached the bed and studied the woman more carefully. She was dressed in jeans and gray tank top, her body was wet and weak and she was still unconscious. Nyssa figured that she was probably in this situations for days and must be starving. She ordered some food and water in the chamber and started to undress the helpless body from the wet dirty clothes. The man came in to the room bringing the needs and coal for the heater. She lit it and the room was filled with the pleasant presence of warmth. Nyssa took the cup of water held the blond woman’s head with the other hand and made the liquid touch her lips. It wasn’t working. She pulled out some vial from her pocket, opened it and put it close to the woman’s nostrils. This time she moved from the strong unpleasant smell, groaned and slowly opened her eyes.

Sara opened her eyes and felt dizzy and the unpleasant dry taste in her mouth. A nice gentle touch on her forehead drew her away from the pain she was feeling all over her body and she saw a pair of black piercing eyes staring at her like dark pearl, enigmatic and beautiful. She was drawn to them and blinking tried to dive in them, without seeing anything else she submerged in to their depth. Sara didn’t wanted go out of this intoxication but the thought of the reality started to hit her hard and she tried to stand up in the bed in panic.

  * Where am I? – her voice was weak but sweet and thin – Ollie? – she started to look around the room frantically breathing heavily.
  * You are on a ship, travelling back to safety – the owner of the powerful eyes answered calmly – We didn’t found any other survivors, I am sorry – she said that with some kind of a regret and Sara found comfort in her words. Safety sounded good but tears crawled her eyes, so Oliver didn’t made it, she was alone now, again. The pain and fatigue hit her again and she fell on the bed and closed her eyes. Nyssa put her hand behind her head and assisting her demanded to drink water. – I’ll bring you food later. You have to eat.



Sara spent days on bed in fever, trying to get her strength back. She was having nightmares about Amazo, dr Ivo, Oliver, Salde, Shado. All those people who were in her life in the past year were gone now and she was pleased for some of them but cried for the others. Oliver was her friend since she remembered and she was in love with him. She thought she lost him once, when the Queen Cambit went down and now she lost him again. And Shado, Sara was seeing in front of her eyes in every dream how Ivo shoots her and her body covered in blood. She died so Sara could live and now she was almost dying again. At least Oliver killed Slade and his family is safe. He died a hero, she was thinking and I will tell them how strong and noble he was.

Nyssa was there all along. She was giving Sara food and water and some strange tea to recover but Sara wasn’t asking questions, she has seen too many strange things on the island and magical tea which can cure wasn’t a surprising. She asked just once where are they going and Nyssa answered her: home. Home – Sara was thinking, I haven’t seen home for so long, mom, dad, my sister. She craved even more now that all of this will be over and that she can go home.

The ship finally reached shore and Nyssa was pleased that her journey is almost to the end and she was going home. She met another leader on the Chinese port and they discussed their success and future actions. The man had 3 prisoners and Nyssa had just one but she was confident that this would be enough to please her father. They don’t come home empty handed after all.

Sara noticed that the ship was not moving any more and tried to get up. She was feeling better, looked through the room to find some clothes but couldn’t find any and anxiously looked at the door, maybe the nice black haired exotic woman will come and bring me some she though. Instead through the door came 2 man dressed in black ninja clothes and threw a bundle at Sara. She screamed from surprise and jumped

  * Who are you? What is this?
  * Get dressed! We arrived!
  * Arrived where? What’s going on? Where is the woman who was with me these few days – the men didn’t answered this questions, they closed the door and gave Sara just enough time to put on the clothes and stormed in again. Grabbed her hard by her hands and dragged her from the room while she mildly protesting still unsure what was happening. The sun hit her eyes and she squinted but she saw Nyssa standing on the solid ground and she gained confidence, ripped out from the men grip and advanced towards Nyssa.
  * Hey, thank you for saving me – Sara said searching her eyes still trying to get used to the bright light – I am Sara, Sara Lance, who are you – she offered her hand and smiled
  * I am Nyssa, daughter of Ra’s Al Ghul, Heir to the Demon – Nyssa said her title with even emotionless voice who demanded nothing but respect and fear. Sara’s smile escaped her face and panic started to crawl her features even more when the 2 men grabbed her again, pulled her strongly and while binding her hands threw her at the back of a truck. There she saw 3 more man, dirty with faces covered with mud and blood tied up looking at her. She saw the fear in their eyes and the panic became even more bigger. What the hell was happening, she was promised home not another prison. The truck started moving and Sara started to try to free her hands but with no success.




	2. Chapter 2

• Hey, what’s going on, do you know where are we going? Who are these people – Sara tried to speak to the other prisoners  
• Don’t speak English – answered one of them They were all Chinese, young and looked strong. Sara sighted. Maybe this was some kind of mistake. She remembered as a child how her father was telling her how dangerous the middle east is and how in some Asian countries the women can just disappear with no trace.”They can put you some coke in your bag and then the police catches you and puts in prison, the laws are harsh but the worse thing is that after that no one knows what can happen, they can sell you for white slave or organ donor.” All those terrible thoughts were going through her head but as the time went by she got tired and closed her eyes sleepy, there was nothing she could do now. They traveled for hours, maybe a whole day and Sara woke up when the road started to get bumpy and she was hitting her head. The 3 other men were also trying to sleep, “that’s wise, I guess, they are keeping their strength, but maybe they will try to escape later and she will try with them.” She survived Amazo, she will survive this, it’s just she wished Oliver was here now, she got used to have a friend by her side, someone she can relay on. “You can’t relay on anyone but yourself Sara. Be more like Slade.” She shivered thinking about him, just she wished he really died. The truck stopped. She looked around frantically and the other man did the same. Someone came from the back and opened the door of the back of the truck.  
• Came on! We’ll sleep here tonight! – the man said that in Chinese and then repeated it in English. They all obeyed. Sara saw that they are some where in the wilderness, they left the town and there was nothing around beside the narrow bumpy road and the meadow with couple of trees and bushes which formed a small forest.  
“Great, where on earth am I”- she murmured to her self and followed the others. She noticed that except Nyssa there weren’t any other women, there were a dozen of men all dressed the same only Nyssa was with dark crimson leather outfit with a cape with a hood and a scarf covering her face. Sara was confused whether she feared her or she was attracted to her. “I guess I am into bad boys” she thought “but last time this didn’t went well, she is beautiful but too bad she is a leader of some crazy ninjas”. One of the man offered everyone food and Sara started to think how much her stomach hurts. The 2 men from before pushed her rudely again but this time she didn’t protest. They tied her around a tree and freed her hands enough so she can hold a can with some smelly precooked meat.  
• Disgusting – she slipped this out load but started eating hungrily  
• You don’t enjoy the meal, Sara, what’s wrong – Sara lifted her eyes from the beans and saw the red trousers in front of her. Nyssa was staring at her with a smile  
• Why are you doing this? Where are you taking me?  
• I told you, home – Nyssa answered calmly to her heated questions  
• But this is not my home, I am American. My parents think I am dead, I have to go back to them.  
• I am very delightful to hear this information Sara – Nyssa smiled even more – A dead to the world American is a good asset. – she turned around and said – Sleep now, you will need all the strength in the morning, the travel continues.  
“oh my gosh”, Sara thought, she should have said they were looking for her, but she can’t take this back. But the thought that this woman was actually helping her and nursing her back to health disappeared, she was an emotionless monster who was probably going to sell her somewhere.  
Nyssa distant herself from the prisoners but continued to look at their direction. She opened some documents and on the light of a flash lighted studied them. The three Chinese men were bodyguards working for some mafia guy in Hong Kong, no one was going to look for them either. She looked again at the blond girl and sighted. “She probably doesn’t have any strength and training, too bad she is so beautiful, she will die badly. I hope my father is not disappointed that I brought her. Maybe I have to try to pimp her up a little.”  
The ninjas didn’t lid any fire, they made tents in a circle and put Nyssa’s in the middle. Two of them stayed for a night shift. Sara and the rest prisoners were left outside in the cold. Sara trembled and tried to ignore the cold and the rising pain from the rope around her body.  
Some noise woke her in the middle of the night, it was sharp and pierce and she recognized a gunshot but stronger from a rifle or a shotgun. She immediately opened her eyes, it was pitch black but she felt movement and heard men whispering in Arabic. When she got accustomed to the dark she saw some silhouettes of other man surrounding them. One of them shouted something in Chinese and couple of the ninja’s that were guarding were death on the ground already. Nyssa came out from her hands with her hands up and all of the other ninjas lifted their hands too. They were surrendering it seemed. The leader of the attackers gained confidence and approached Nyssa pointing the shotgun at her. The moment the muzzle touched her chests she lowered her one hand grabbed it, made a spin and hit the man with his other hand, he fell to the ground and she used his body as a shield while the others started shooting at her. The other ninjas covered themselves too and started throwing ninja stars. Nyssa threw 2 simultaneously and hit 2 men at the chests. Then she run towards 2 more who were attacking from ambush behind a tree, climbed it at fell over them, knocking them out with her weight, then she took out a knife and slid their throats.  
Sara was stunned at the sight and didn’t noticed how 2 men from the attackers approached them and cut the rope free. They said something in Chinese but Sara didn’t understand them. One of them grabbed her and pulled her towards him, he licked her face and said something she figured rude and grimaced at the unpleasant feeling trying to free herself but his grip tightened, he squeezed her even harder and started to drag her but she screamed. Then something without warning except the slightly hissing of the air came behind him and he crumbled, fell on his knees and then on his face right on top of Sara who fell below his weight. She pulled him off and saw that Nyssa fire that knife to free her from this man, but her attention was grabbed by some other attackers. No is the moment to run she thought and her instinctively looked around to what direction, it was dark but she thought now or never, after all the city can’t be too far. She saw one of the other prisoners was already running towards the darkness and urged towards that direction. It all happened in seconds, the running man who gave her the push and was the guiding light fell on the ground pierced from the back from an arrow and a firm hand grabbed her on the shoulder.  
• Ollie- said Sara instinctively and turned around to see Nyssa who gave her the most deadly look.  
• Don’t take this personal Sara but I just saved you from this slave dealers, and you are going to repay me by running away.  
• But you don’t need me Nyssa, daughter of the demon or whatever you name is – Sara was pleading – you can let me go  
• Go where?! – Nyssa continued – Without a passport and money a young white girl won’t reach far in these lands except the hands of another trafficker. Is that what you want.  
• You can help me I guess – Sara was crying now exhausted and on the verge of hysteria and Nyssa was annoyed – find the American embassy, give me money. I am innocent, just a girl  
• I will help you all right – Nyssa said more loudly and firm – become a real woman and not this pathetic crying – she couldn’t find the right words to call her and stuttered  
• Bird in a cage – interrupted her Sara, offended she was looking at her in the eyes now with anger – Go to hell  
• You will see, we are going there – Nyssa smiled but this wasn’t an innocent gentle smile, it was ironic grimace on her face she’s made every time she was amused. She made clear Sara and the 2 remaining prisoners were tied again and withdrew to her tent. Sara fell asleep really tired with the feeling of how much she hates Nyssa.


	3. Chapter 3

As Nyssa promised the road ahead was difficult. The travelers left the trucks and took a couple of donkeys waiting for them peacefully besides the dusty road. Nyssa’s men put the luggage on the back of the animals and the party continued on foot. They were climbing a mountain and with every step they were getting higher and higher. “This is the fucking Himalaya”- Sara thought, “maybe she is not taking me some where to take my organs after all, unless there was some hidden clinic, but I doubt that. “The purpose of this trip started to get even vaguer for her but she enjoyed it. Sara loved hiking in the mountains with her family. Everything that made her feel free and invincible and the dry chilly fresh air was giving the sense of vastness and majestic landscape was powerful but she was going to conquer it.  
• Stupid Americans – said one of the man – You think you own the world – glancing and Sara who was walking with ease with proudly lifted head – Wait until the hard part comes.  
And it wasn’t long when the road became narrow and steep and on one side there was this huge abyss that you couldn’t see the end. Sara started to get tired and carefully watching her footsteps but she was holding on. After 3 days of walking and sleeping on the open with awful food they reached their destination. The soldiers pushed the prisoners in front so they can easily see where they arrived. Before their eyes revealed an enormous majestic stone castle carved inside a cliff of a mountain. Sara hasn’t seen anything like this before, her feet hurt big time but she was in awe of the view, “this must be one of the seven wonders of the world, if I die here it will be worth it”, she thought. Nyssa stood in front of them with all her posture and glory and made a speech, first on Chinese then English:  
• This is your new home, the place which you may learn to love and cherish like I do, or the place where you will die. Your purpose here is one: to become warriors and to serve the League of Assassins with which you can receive awards, if you fail, you die.  
With this they started to descent from the cliff and they reached the big metal carved with unknown symbols doors of the castle. The prisoners were led through dark vast corridor into an enormous hall with high ceiling where there were a lot more soldiers dress with the same dark ninja clothes. Sara was barely holding her breath and her eyes were constantly moving, she wanted to see everything around her. The castle looked ancient with a lot of Arabic symbols and painting of ninja training and death. Six men took the center of the room, Sara couldn’t see their faces cause they were again covered with cloth. Nyssa broke away from the arriving party and approached a man on the other side of the big hall. She bowed in front of him and he took her hand.  
• My daughter, what do you bring me – the man said with a calm voice. He was wearing a rich cape and a lot of gold on his neck and hands  
• Three new recruits, father, I think they will prove to be worthy  
• Just 3, I hope they will then – he was obviously disappointed and pushed Nyssa aside and took the center of the stage where the other 6 men were preparing for a fight.  
Nyssa’s father put off his cape and took out his sword. He looked to be middle age but very fit and strong. The fight began. All of the six men threw themselves against Ra’s Al Ghul and he was defending himself from all sides but with a big ease. He didn’t even broke a sweat, one by one the men were disarmed and slaughtered by his sword in a very demonstrative way. A loud laugh broke the silence after the brutal kill. Nyssa turned her head to see that the new girl, the blond one was laughing with a sincere girl laugh but her father didn’t even moved his eyes from his prey while he was circling around them.  
• These men died today because they disobeyed my orders. They were given the chance to fight and defend themselves but they failed.  
• Now he looked directly into the new prisoners – There is only one law here and it’s my word. Disobey me and we can either get the mercy to die from my sword or you will receive punishment worse than death. – with these words he put his hand on the golden handle of his sword and left the room while everybody bowed at him.  
Sara wasn’t laughing anymore. Her whole body was trembling and she couldn’t say whether from the cold of the stone building or from fear. “That’s great now Sara, how did you end up here?! From Queen’s gambit to Amazo, the island and now a league of assassins. Will I ever be free from this nightmare and what was the purpose to travel to the end of the world to die here, from the hands of this crazy with power man. Couldn’t I just die on the island like the rest of my friends.” she was thinking all this while walking through some more dark stone corridors and staircases which led her and the rest to un underground prison with no windows. Sara was locked in a cage with no bed just a whole on the ground and a stone floor and the metal door locked behind her. In the next day, at least she thought that a lot of time has passed she heard footsteps approaching the cages. Her first instinct was to scream, to shout: “Let me out, I’m innocent, I haven’t done anything” but then she remembered Amazo and how little sense there it is in screaming. She just waited silently and hoped it was Nyssa who will bring her food and more clothes because she was freezing. It was some man with no face like all of them who threw a bowl full of something, and left. “Mushrooms, great! Now my stomach will hurt even more after I devour this heavy food. “She left it aside and didn’t touched it.


	4. Chapter 4

After a while, Sara couldn’t say how much time has past in the dark, some more footsteps approached and she heard that they took away one of the Chinese men. She approached the bars so she can see what was happening. They brought him back unconscious and took the other one, Sara anticipated that they are coming for her. These minutes looked like hours, what are they going to do to her, can she strike some deal with them, convince them to let her go. She already knew they are not going to take her organs but why is the man unconscious, will the rape her first, she is a woman and all those men can take advantage of her. She was thinking about doctor Ivo and how he gave her a chance and all the things she had to do for him in order to stay safe from the men on the ship. “No one is innocent, I’ve already done terrible things to pretend I am. Maybe I can tell them about the mirakuru” she was holding the bars closely with tight lips and her eyes were moving frantically, “no, I can’t tell them about that, I can’t give a bunch of mass killers a powerful drug that can make them invincible.” The moment came. The other man was brought unconscious and the ninjas took Sara and brought her into a bigger chamber and tight her hands to the ceiling.  
• She didn’t ate the mushrooms – one of the man told the other who was holding a knife and looking at her.  
• I’ll give them to her – he opened Sara’s mouth and stuffed the try substance in it. She swallowed and grimaced.  
“Great, hallucinogenic mushrooms”- she remembered she took some before when she was at the university. She skipped class and with some friends went on a trip to a hut, it was pleasant tripping and they laughed all they. Sara was quite a party girl back when she had a normal life, she remembered. In school she tried joint too. Her boyfriend at the time thought her how to steal a car and then they went on a beautiful view over the city and smoked some joint and made love. Her father caught her after that though and locked her to his desk.  
• You are having too much fun out of this – Sara was smiling at him ironically  
• Isn’t the dream of every father to have his daughter locked in his desk – Quentin was smiling back at her – forever.  
• Tell me about your family – the man’s voice in front of her brought her back to the reality – Where are you from? – he talked in English so she can understand  
• Why do you wanna know about my family? What do you want from me?  
• I am asking the questions here – he cut her blouse in 2 with his sharp knife and her skin got exposed – Tell me about your father? Who is he?  
• What do you want from him – Sara cried in despair and the sharp blade cut her skin on the back. Sara screamed in pain.  
Thirty minutes later the mushrooms started to kick in and the man took forms of demons and devils who tortured her with cutting the epidermis of her back and legs and hands in small cuts that bled and covered her in blood. She has told them already though a lot of lies about her family, false names, address and now she was glad she didn’t took the drug earlier because it was hard to lie and be on your senses under it’s influence. The man ask asking her now about the Amazo and what she was doing there and Sara started babbling about how she fell for this boy who was a bad boy but not hers and how she shouldn’t have done that. The man got annoyed.  
• Women and their love life, Why I have to listen to all this. What were you doing on this ship – he asked again and hit her hard this time on the face. She spit some blood and looked him in the eyes  
• Nyssa really brought me in hell – she said – A red glowing devil with horns and yellow piercing eyes, great I thought my imagination is bigger.  
• She is totally useless – the other man said – 30 minutes passed. We have to sop this for now and resume later if the princess orders another session.  
They untied her and brought her back to her cell. All covered in blood and acing but the wound weren’t deep she studied them and realized that they were just flesh wounds but now they hurt so much. She couldn’t lean on the wall because her back hurt and the floor was too cold. The mushrooms were starting to kick in even harder and Sara knew that if she is in a mad place she can have a really bad trip so she tried to image the meadow she was with her friends, the sound of the nearby river and the shiny flickers from the sun on the surface of the water and that pine tree that looks so fluffy and soft that she wanted to hug. She didn’t noticed the woman who approached her cell and called her name.  
• Nyssa – Sara run to her and grabbed the bars. She was in anxiety and desperately in need of something to ease the pain and the rising fear.  
• How did you do it Sara? The men from the torture chamber told me you didn’t even screamed and that the other men were shouting in feat of monsters and demons but you were mocking them, talking about problems with boys.  
• Just because you gave me some mushrooms dude doesn’t mean I have to believe everything is real. I studied biology in university and I know what substance is produced in the brain to cause these hallucinic.  
• Americans, you don’t believe in anything do you?  
• We believe in the king of rock – Sara tried to make a joke through pain which made even Nyssa smile with sincerity.  
• I don’t even know who that is? – she smiled shyly and corrected her hair.  
• What, do you live in a cave or something – Sara looked around pretending she sees the place for the first time – Oh, you live in a cave  
• You have to eat the mushrooms Sara – Nyssa said this time seriously and again with cold calm voice  
• Why, I don’t want them, they make me see things.  
• That’s the idea, they make your mind stronger, and make you forget, break away from your past and accept your new destiny.  
• I don’t want to forget – Sara said kneeling on her knees now tired to stand – My past is what keeps me going, what makes me strong and more easy to forget my new destiny.  
Nyssa smiled and touched her hair gently through the bars – As you wish, little bird in a cage. – with these words she left and Sara was left alone with the silence and the darkness. Alone with her nightmares who were rising and starting to come alive.


	5. Chapter 5

In the morning she was woke up from a massive amount of cold water spilled all over her. At the first moment she thought she is still in the ocean drowning and jumping from surprise she took a deep breath, but then she realized that she is still in the dooming cellar with a guard standing next to her holding a bucket.  
• Time to wake up! The training begin! – he said in an even voice. And threw at her some clothes: a black trousers and a black shirt and fitted her size. As well as a black underwear and a tank top. She was all yet so she gladly put them on when she assured he wasn’t looking.  
Sara was led to an open yard were a dozen other men like here were standing at left corner. On the middle there were another group and then on the right another. They were all training and Sara could see that they were at a different level of abilities. The yard was vast and the sun blinded Sara at first, then a sharp voice commanding her and the rest to stand on a line pierced her ears and despite she didn’t understood the words she obeyed and did what the rest were.  
Next to her there were 10 more men including her Chinese fellow travelers. The man in front of them was big and muscled with rough face. He was giving order in Arabic and everybody was following them, Sara was looking what the others were doing and repeating. It was a tiring session of pull ups, push ups, crunches, running around the yard that we repeating over and over. Sara felt exhausted and the hunger started to fill her senses but the man continued to shout for more. The men were doing the exercise without complaining and Sara new she shouldn’t either although it was really more hard for her and she started to be slower and slower. “gosh, I feel like in the military, like this movie G.I Jane, I don’t know how long I can hold on”.  
When the training started the sun was just started to rise and from it's position now Sara would think 2 and something hours has passed but she felt like ages. Everything hurt now and she was covered in sweat and dirt and every move was killing her. She was seeing that the other men started to get tired some of them more than the others but the man in front of them wasn't stopping to shout. At one of the pull ups Sara's hands slipped from the bar and she fell to the ground. She moaned and tried to get up but her whole body ached so much. The trainer stood in front of her and started to command for her to stand up, she made another effort but fell again. This made him even more angry and he started to kick her on her rips with angry shouts.  
"Stop, stop, why are you doing this?!" - Sara was shouting in her mind but outside she was keeping it cool and silent but now the effort to get up was even more hard. Something grabbed everybody’s attention and Sara lifted her had from the mud. She saw the princess entering the fight arena where the most advanced students were practicing. She entered the fight without a sword, took one from one of her opponents while fighting him and disarmed with couple of moves the rest, all of them where on the ground groaning in a minute and Nyssa didn't even broke a sweat.  
\- You still have a lot to go - she grinned - get up - A warrior trains every day  
Sara was watching this and she remembered how Nyssa defeated those smugglers with guns in the forest with such an ease. "She is so good and strong, I wish I was like her. Maybe if I was then I shouldn't had to be afraid from the men in Amazo and work for Ivo". Sara took Nyssa's command to get up like for her and lifted herself with the new found strength from the motivation. She saw that Nyssa was also looking at her and wanted to look cool so she jumped on the ladder and continued the pull ups with all the strength she could find in her tired arms.  
After a while the training was finally over and they were all rushed to the dinning room. One of the men was still lying on the ground after the trainer was kicking him too. Sara passed next to him and tried to lift him up but the trainer pushed her hard from behind  
\- Don't show mercy to the weak - he said in English so she can understand.  
In the dinning room she a lot of people in one place, it was crowded with men women different races and colors but all young between 20 to 50.  
"Maybe no one survive above this age"- she smiled ironically. There was a hierarchy and she was pushed in to one long cue on which at the end a fat man put some mash with suspicious color on her plate. But it was food, food and she started to devour it in no time. She was sitting in a long table among a lot of people but wasn't paying attention to any one.  
\- Eating slowly is healthy - Sara lifted her look and saw another blue eyes of a woman starring at her  
\- Are you American? - Sara asked with surprised  
\- No, I am from Serbia. My name is Bikadima, what's yours?  
\- Bikadima? This doesn't sound like Slavic name. And you speak English? - Sara answered in surprised  
\- Everybody speaks English now, but it's also one of the obligatory languages in the League  
\- And you actually know geography - smiled another woman sitting next to her. - I thought Americans are stupid - Sara just smiled and shook her head  
\- I was trying not to but obviously I ended up here, so not really a smart one, am I. How did you two ended up here.  
\- I was saved from sex slavery during the Serbian war - the blond girl answered without hesitation - From Nyssa and her team. They were supposed to attack one of the Nato stations, where I was held as a prisoner for pleasure. That's how I got my name Bikadima means bruised in Arabic. Nyssa asked me whether I want to join her or stay in the war zone and I said I want to join her. - Sara swallowed this story with a bite of mash and was looking at her with her big sad eyes with a lot of compassion.  
\- I joined on my own - the other girl said and this made Sara choked on her food. - I am from a small Chinese village. In China if you are a woman you don't have a lot of possibilities- you either have to marry or you become servant or a hooker with a really low status. Women can't travel to find work and you often end up working for really small amount money. I've heard of this organization from rumours and I wanted to give my life a meaning to be treated equally and I have this here. - Sara didn't stopped looking at her, she was mall but looked very fit and though with firm calm eyes - How did you end up here  
\- I boat crashed and was saved by a pirate prison ship with a crazy doctor who wanted to save the human race. He made me his apprentice until the ship crashed too and I was again drowning and washed on the shore of an island to die from hunger and the burning sun until Nyssa saved me - while Sara was talking her voice was trembling and she was seeing pictures from her recent past flash before her. - The man that I loved died on that ship - a tear left her eye and both girls reached her hands  
\- It get's better with time - but they pulled away as soon as they noticed that the man next to them is watching. Sara noticed this and saw them leave the table very quickly.  
She brushed her tears and finished her food in silence. In this harsh world there is no time for crying - she thought. Ollie is gone but I have to go on and maybe someday come home and see my family again.  
The training in the afternoon continued in a class room with classes for Arabic and Chinese led by one and the same teacher, a woman who appeared to be mixed race but spoke both languages very fluently. Sara enjoyed these classes, she has always been good at school and although she was doing crazy stuff she managed to have good grades and studied her lessons. In university she had biology course and one day she imagined herself as a scientist with the most outgoing teenage years.  
After the languages the physical training continued with more exercises in the yard and then the same gross meat for supper. Sara looked through the big dinner to search for the girls again but didn't found them and ate in silence next to some small really beaten up man. "Poor guy, what happened to him"- but then she looked at her hands and saw all her bruises just from gymnastics and found the answer on her own. The evening she spent in the same cellar sleeping on the stone floor with no blanket feeling the cold going through her whole body, but at least her stomach was full now and on the next morning she was woke up on the same manner with a bucket of cold water poured over her and the routine repeated. After a few days Sara saw again Bikadima and Fatat Qarwia, which meant village girl in Arabic but they told her that they can't speak to her until she reached their level of training. This was another impetus for her to try hard, she was lonely and in desperate need of friends, someone to talk to. On Amazo she spent a whole year alone surrounded by men who saw her as a prey or someone they feared. She earned this place next to the doctor and her words mattered to him. But she needed a friend. Oliver had Shado and Slade on the island, she doesn't had anyone.


	6. Chapter 6

The training started to get different, after 2 weeks they took them into the forest in a filed with a lot of obstacles like in the American ninja warriors, Sara thought.  
Whoever managed to finish first was getting an award - meat for dinner - chicken or vial. Sara never succeeded to be first and this made her angry and impatient with her own abilities. " Why everything is so easy with men", they are born with this physic that gave them advantage and she had to try harder. She appreciated that they threat her equally but then she saw how some of them do the things with so much ease. Of course there were those who failed miserably even though they were stronger and taller, they lack the conviction and the mantle state. Sara wasn't the worse but she wasn't the best so she never got the award.  
One day they led them in to the forest and told them that they have to find an apple hidden in perimeter of 1km. Whoever brings the apple will eat meat. Sara observed how the other men immediately started to turn against each other so the won't allow the other to find the apple before them. They didn't saw her as opponent and left her aside. She started to crawl among the bushes and found the apple first. But as soon as one of the others noticed that, he threw himself over Sara overpowered her and took the apple. Sara returned with bruises and no meat and the anger started to rise within her. "I have to try twice as hard and I need strong healthy food, I need meat in order to gain muscle and strength but I can't cause I don't have muscle as them. This is like a closed circle." On the next challenge for the apple the same routine repeated but when the infuriated man knocked her down she pulled out her knife and nailed it in to his leg. He screamed from pain and surprise and led her go. For the first time she was the first one to finish the task but she felt this huge shame, " I am turning in to a beast, blood thirsty animal for meat" - she was thinking while she was barking the bone.  
The hardest training was when they started the sword fighting. The trainer gave a chance for everyone to choose a weapon and Sara was looking at the big expose with big interest.  
\- Pick something that will suit you, something not so heavy and big but which can be easily handled - Nyssa was standing behind her giving her advice  
\- How about this small pointy knife, at least I will die fast when they strike me with a sword. - Sara joked  
\- Well, you can defeat someone with just a knife too, you know - Nyssa smiled at her  
\- No kidding - Sara answered but Nyssa was already gone. She chose a smaller light sword and she was grateful after that because she realized how much easier is to handle.  
After every session with sword she went back to the cell with a lot of cuts bleeding and hurting immensely, but every night Nyssa sneaked in with a blanket, a bowl of water, some herbs and bandages to clean her wounds.  
\- Do you do this to all the prisoners Nyssa - Sara asked  
\- You are not a prisoner Sara, you are a student, and no I don't do this for everybody, just for the women who just started and I know it's hard for them  
\- My my, what is this gender bias - Sara hissed through her teeth trying not to scream from pain while Nyssa was sewing a deeper cut.  
\- Are you offended now because of inequality? - Nyssa smiled  
\- Now, I am grateful. All those women must be in love with you then.  
\- No, they are not. Some of them hate me even.  
After the sword fighting the more difficult was the martial arts. It was a whole art of movements and knowledge of biology and human body, where and how to hit so you can disarm your opponent with no big effort and over power him/ her no matter of your weight. Sara enjoyed this a lot and was practicing with pleasure. She was athletic as kid and now she was stretching her limbs even more. And the movements reminded her of dance.


	7. Chapter 7

After a month passed Sara gained more confidence and strength and she started to earn the right to eat meant on couple of occasions even without using the knife which she kept at her boots all the time.  
One day Nyssa entered the training yard but this time walked straight to the beginners. All of them formed a row and bowed in front of her.  
\- You all did well - she started and looked through all of them and her eyes settled on Sara - and the time for the trail is near. You will have the chance to prove you are worthy to continue your education and become a full League member and swear your legion to Ra's Al Guhl. If you pass the trail you will have the honor to choose a new name, a name with which people here will know you, which will symbolize your new life, putting everything from your past behind, your memories and everything that holds you back that prevents you to go on further and be a new person.  
\- And what will happen if we fail the trail - Nyssa has already started to walk away when she heard this question. She turned around and came face to face with Sara  
\- You will die - she whispered this in to her ear then she pulled away and looked her in the eyes - I will be very disappointed if I have to see you go, so don't disappoint me Sara Lance  
Sara swallowed her saliva but tried not to show the fear in her eyes, she was looking straight at her with confidence while her brain was struggling. " great, so I survived all those training to die at the end, no way".  
The training became even more hard and exhausting and one night Nyssa came to Sara's cell but with a candle instead of medicines.  
\- This is really medieval now, you probably don't even have computers  
\- Very funny Sara Lance, you will be surprised at how many things we actually have. And this is for training.  
Sara was looking at her with intense eyes waiting to see what trail awaits her. Nyssa took her hand and put her on the flame of the candle, Sara tried to pull away but Nyssa was holding her hard  
\- You have to earn to control your pain and let go of it.  
\- Nyssa, let go, it hurts - Sara cried but Nyssa was holding tied.  
\- Pain is a distraction and make you weak, out there on the field everybody will attack you, if you think constantly how something hurts you will never gain control over the situation  
Nyssa realized her hand when her hand became red and the smell of the burned flesh filled the air. Sara hugged her palm and started to lick her  
\- I thought some women hates you because of false ambitious and envy but maybe it's because you torture them after you take care of them. - she said this while still licking at her hand and noticed that Nyssa watch her with wide open eyes. - What, the saliva is healing. - Nyssa shook her head  
\- yes, yes of course  
\- and women have a high tolerance for pain, you know, you should teach men this trick with the candle  
\- I know, but women fear it more - with this words she left - I will come again Sara  
" wow, Nyssa really cares whether I will pass this trail, but why, maybe because she is the one who brought me in here and she feels responsible"- Sara wanted to convince herself.  
When the day of the trail came Sara was very nervous. She knew that she has learned a lot but still there was so much more stuff that she can and still she was in the middle of regarding the strength and knowledge, she wasn't the best but she wasn't the worst. She remembered a friend once told her that when you run from a bear you don't have to be the fastest as long as you are not the last, Sara was used to be the best at school, but this time it wasn't because of ego, she was afraid that the league won't take anyone but the best. They gathered her class and led them in to the center of a big arena. All the chairs were filled with people and on abilities lodge there were Ra's Al Guhl and his daughter Nyssa. Ra's stood up and with calm voice started:  
\- We are gathered today to evaluate the training of the new recruits and who can have the privilege to join the League. You all will have the chance to choose a weapon and fight one another. After 1 hour whoever is still alive or has less then 3 cuts would be considered to past the challenge. There are no other rules. - his voice echoed in the vast place and the words felt like stones on Sara's heart. She was suppose to fight and kill the men that she was training with in the last month.  
She picked up her sword, no one has taken it before her, and a gong marked the beginning of the trail. All men started to look defensive and were keeping there backs away from the others.  
For a moment Sara thought that maybe they won't really fight and then Ra's will consider all of them winners, her eyes were frantically going from one man to another watching every move every look and sweat started to pour from her forehead. The first 5 minutes were heavy, everyone was hunting the others until Abdul broke the dance and attacked the man standing too close to him. The fight began and the swords started to clash and hit and cut skin. Sara found herself ambushed by to of the more bulging guys and she started to retreat. She knew she can't escape the arena though and she had to think of something quick. The ambush was getting thicker she kicked one of the man on the knuckle of the ankle and took out her small pointy knife and stuck it into the knee of the other, they both fell she scrolled to the other side and hit them with her sword, one of them fainted but the other attacked her angrily. She blocked his move with her sword but something pierced her from behind the pain started to fill her senses and she realized that someone has cut her leg above the knee. Now she had two opponents from both sides, she had to get rid of them and get rid of the pain." Women fear pain more" she remembered Nyssa saying, that wasn't true for her, she has been through a lot so far and survived it. She just have to concentrate on the fight and forget about the blood pouring from her leg. She hit the one standing on her right with her sound leg and blocked the blows from the other with her sword. Then she scrolled again so both of them were on her right side now and avoiding their knocks she managed to took the sword from one them. When the other saw that he immediately pierced him with his sword on the chests and he fell on the ground on her face. Sara was shocked and paralyzed for the moment which caused her a lot. In a minute she lost her sword too and the man was on top of her. She was lying on the ground with his whole weight on top of her and she could move he got his sword on her neck and she was holding his hands as hard as she could to prevent him to make the fatal cut. This was Bao Gem, one of the men that were recruited with her, some how she felt him close because of the equal experience but he was looking at her fierce, grinning impatiently to end her life. She couldn't hold it any more so she let her right hand off the handle of the sword and pulled of her knife. The sword made a cut on her neck but she pierced him through the stomach right in to the liver and a blood poured from his mouth on her face. Now she managed to get him off of her and got up on her feet while Bao Gem was lying on the ground in agony. Sara wiped out the blood from her face with disgust and looked around her. The fight has finished, one hour has passed and only half of the men were standing. Sara examined herself carefully and realized she has just these 2 cuts so she managed, she passed the trail. This was enough of her and couldn't think of anything else more. The crowd was cheering and Nyssa was standing proudly looking at the arena. The pain started to hit her hard now and she was just praising the won't faint at the end scared what might happen if she does.


	8. Chapter 8

This night they brought her to the second floor in a room with a bed and a window with her own bathroom. A woman gave her spirt, bandages and some herbs, very medieval medicine for her standards and told her:  
\- take care of your wound and rest, tomorrow will be the ceremony of your initiation.  
Sara tried to clean the wound with spirt despite the pain, she didn't knew what to do with the herbs so she put some of them in the leg and ate the rest.  
In the night she dreamt Oliver, he was standing in front of her and was taking the sword out of her hand :" Once you take a life Sara there is no turning back and I don't want that for you"  
She woke up in sweat and pain from the still swore wound " It's too late for me now Ollie, too late"  
The ritual chamber was the same Sara was brought in to at the beginning with a vast space at the center а big dome and small windows which omit light on certain places on the wall with stone carvings of grotesque images of torture and murder but also birth.  
• We have our own religion – Nyssa was guiding Sara dressed in a white robe – We don’t believe in Gods, we follow our own rules – the rules of the League and we live and die in the name of Ra’s Al Ghul, but we believe in after life, different dimensions and the power of nature. With this ritual you will have the chance to clean your soul and mind from your previous life and get reborn  
• What if I don’t want to – Sara looked at her timidly  
• It’s not like you have a choice here – Nyssa answered a little annoyed  
• I’ve talked with 2 women, they told me you saved them and gave them a chance for a better life  
• I saved you too Sara – Nyssa interrupted – You will see that life here might not be the most easy but you will be able to discover so many worlds and possibilities. After all this pain and suffering there is no turning back – Nyssa was talking passionately now, Sara turned to her and hold her hand  
• I am not scared of the pain Nyssa, I am scared to forget, I don’t know if I am ready to give up my old life, who I am  
• Who you are only the future will show, and your one deeds. It’s up to you Sara, it’s just going forward - Sara’s eyes were following Nyssa’s and searching for answers for something that was hidden, behind the words, but Nyssa was looking at her with real sincerity and Sara felt comfort.  
• The only thing that kept me going through this month was that I was impressed by your strength and abilities. I wanted to be like you  
• I am glad I inspired you – Nyssa smiled shyly – Come on, it’s time – Nyssa pushed her further in to the room where a path of candles were lighting Sara’s was to the center of the room where she stood on a little raised platform with 2 ropes hanging from the ceiling. In front there was a ritual fire in a golden bowl. Ra’s Ah Ghul and a woman dressed in ritual clothes – dark purple dress with a cape and gold embroidery, came out of the shadows.  
• Are you ready – Ra’s Al Ghul asked  
• Yes I am  
• Took of your garment, have you chosen a new name  
• Yes, I did, I chose Canary – Sara took of the white cloth and remained just with a sports bra and underwear.  
• Ta-er al-Sahfer it is then. Take the ropes.  
Ra’s Al Ghul took a metal spear from the fire and formed with his tools a small canary bird.  
• The word assassin has fallen victim to many abuses of language, the real meaning hidden beneath a sediment of lies, the truth – assassin comes from hashish here which means those who stand apart from society – Ra’s made a ceremonial pause and continued with louder voice  
• Every man and a woman here have renounced their past life and forfeited their identity in the name of something new – the priestess took the iron canary and put it into the fire until it became red, the took it out slowly and brought it near Sara – There is a cleansing only achieved by fire – Ra’s took the iron rod and touched Sara’s skin at the back of her arm under the arm pit and pushed slowly until it burned her. Sara grimaced but hold her teeth not making a sound – Embrace the pain because your souls will finally be unburdened – her skin became red as the iron and she trembled from the sensation that pierced her whole body. A soft music was playing on the background and the priestess was saying like a quiet pray but Sara couldn’t hear the words.  
In the same day Nyssa gave Sara a tour through the castle and showed her the places she was allowed to visit, this time she felt like a free person who belong somewhere. Except the dining rooms she saw big libraries with enormous variety of books from different eras and languages, maps and plans. A lot of history on one place.  
• You can find everything you need here, you just have to know what you are looking for  
• So no internet, no google  
• Google doesn’t know everything – Sara laughed  
Then they reached the bathrooms and showers. There was one for women and one for men. The walls were all covered in marble slabs and instead of showers there were these huge common tubs with hot water that was coming from the ground. Steam was filling the air and it was hot and humid.  
• Not very comfortable to stand here when you are with clothes  
The tour was over at the yard.  
• With every level up you will be granted access to more places and information in the castle. Now you have to resume your training. – Sara nodded.


	9. Chapter 9

She joined a bigger group of students who were training and among them she saw the women who somehow she considered friends, “well until I have to face them on the next challenge” the scary thought crawled her mind but she chased it away quickly.  
The training became even more intense – martial arts, sword fighting, archery but Sara was enjoying her new room and although the League wasn’t encouraging friendships Sara always sit next to Bikadima and Fatat Qarwia on dinner and had a small talk with them.  
• I think I started to see the idea of this medieval weapons  
• This really bugs you, isn’t it – smiled the Chinese girl  
• Well we have built so many big weapons through the ages just to return to a bow and arrow – Sara slapped her face – but you know I realize that it is very important to be silent and unnoticed. Not that there aren’t silent guns but maybe it’s more difficult to hide them and produce them so they are easily traceable while swords and knifes are unique, guns can be easily knocked out from you hand while a sword and a bow not.  
• How are you doing with the throwing of the knifes and the ninja stars  
• I am getting better and better but still not enough to beat the ugly nose – all the girls laughed.  
Nyssa was standing alone in her chambers looking at a map on her computer. A woman came in bowed and waiting for Nyssa to speak  
• How is Ta-er al-Sahfer doing in the stealth class?  
• Very well, princess, there are still things to improve though  
• I want to see how she will manage with the training with the fire  
• Very well, I will arrange that sooner  
The training took place in a closed dark space. They led 10 students in а barn and tied their hands with a rope. Sara wasn’t liking what was happening, she didn’t liked feeling helpless. They pushed them on one the side of the room and surrounded them with fuel which they led on fire. On both sides there were barrel with explosives which would have exploded if the fire reached them. Most of the students were obsessed with panic which took over Sara for a while but she knew she doesn’t have the luxury. She saw that Bikadima was on her left side  
-Hey, you can untied my hands, I will yours if we turn back to back – she shouted and Bikadima obeyed. Since they freed their hands and themselves from the wooden beam Bikadima started running while Sara looked for Fatat Qarwia, untied her first and then she saw a fire extinguisher hidden in the corner and started to put off the fire. Fatat Qarwia and some of the others took her example while some also started to run through the fire. The fire was subdue just on time before it reached the barrels but some of the students had 1st degree burns. Sara was trying to catch her breath and cough immensely but she was worried about Bikadima and was attending her injuries.  
\- Are you all right, are you all right – she was whispering – what the fuck was that  
The trainers repeated the exercise bit this time they tied their hands with handcuffs and put against them poisonous snakes. The only chance to escape was to climb the bar and then catch a rope high on the ceiling and swing beyond the snake field. This time everyone was calmer but Sara. “ gosh, I hate snakes” . The creatures were dangerously approaching and Sara was pushed to the wall, her brain was working hard to come up with solution and the only think she could think of was to pull out the joint of her thumb, thanks god for the medicine class and set her hands free. The pain was big but she already was getting used to not to focus on it too much. This time she also helped the others freeing them with a pin she found in one of the pockets and then hurried to climb the bar. With her broken finger it wasn’t easy but she managed to get to the rope and swing beyond the animals on the other side though there was this man shooting arrows at her. She quickly climbed the rope up to avoid getting hit. This was unpredictable, she didn’t had any weapon except this hairclip – “ I can’t kill a man with a hairclip” but her mind shifted towards the snakes. She lowered herself still hanging on the rope and managed to catch one on the head, extracted a little poison with the hairclip and threw it against the man shooting arrows at her after getting closer to him. The pin flipped and stuck in to the skin next to his eye. He dropped the bow and hold his head with both hands in agony.  
• She did that – Nyssa sounded intrigued  
• As I am saying  
• What happened with the others, is Quatal ok  
• Yes we took him in the clinic, the others followed her.  
After a couple of days Sara was summoned by Nyssa to her chamber. She was led on to the 6 floor of the castle and in to a big room with a lot of space a big bed with dark purple curtains and fluffy carpet. Nyssa was standing in front of a computer and smiled at Sara when she entered. Sara didn’t noticed anything else except the computer and jumped straight to it.  
• You have a computer? Can I use it  
• You are like a girl wanting candy – Nyssa laughed = What for?  
• To write to my parents, that I am alive, alright – Nyssa frowned  
• I don’t know If I was ever clear. You can’t leave the League, once you swear your legion you serve it. There is only one freedom – death – Sara’s eyes widened, somehow she anticipated this but the hope that one day she can go home never left her.  
• At least I can tell them I am alright so they don’t worry – her voice was trembling  
• So you make them search for you and get in trouble? We know everything about your parents, about your past life, you can’t run away  
Sara remembered her first torture. They were asking her about her family, she didn’t told them anything but with computer access it wasn’t difficult to find out about her and where she was from. She nodded and sat on the bed.  
• Why did you asked for me? – she changed the subject this time with no enthusiasm what so ever  
• I have a task for you – Nyssa looked at her computer and showed Sara a picture of a man in his forties and a map.- This man is very important leader in our organization, he will come back from a mission with his team tomorrow night and make his camp in the foot of these hills before he reaches the castle. I have a reason to believe he wants my death because he wants to be the close to be Ra’s. I can’t prove it and I can’t tell my father without a proof. I also don’t know who I can trust since he has a lot of supporters. So that’s why I need you – Nyssa made a pause, swan through the room and looked through the window. It had a beautiful view of the mountains and a fresh chilling air was coming in from the opened crack. – You are new here, so I am certain you don’t have any agenda or serve anyone. But on the other hand I see you tend to be a team player but also manage to take decisions fast in a difficult situations. – she paused again and looked at Sara – I want you to kill him for me.  
• Kill him for you?! – Sara repeated in shock  
• I just haven’t figured out yet how, it has to look like an incident  
• We can use a snake venom, it reduces the blood pressure and causes stroke.- Sara answered thoughtfully  
• Brilliant! Tomorrow night I will have to attend a meeting but I will arrange my guards to let you out of the castle, have a horse and the poison. If you succeed I’ll make sure you are granted more freedom after your next trail and maybe join me for more missions. If you fail, I will deny I send you and you’ll probably be tortured and killed.  
In the next evening Sara was leaving the castle with a black horse having a small backpack with water, food and the poison. She didn’t even thought she can deny Nyssa’s request. All she was thinking were her words: she can never leave the League, now she was out of the castle but her escape was impossible not only because of her small amount of water and food and the difficult journey, the League will find her everywhere. And what if they harm her family, she will never forgive herself. Her only option now was to try to make a life for her here and maybe someday when she is granted more freedom she will have the chance to make the right move.  
There was no moon which was an advantage and disadvantage at the same time. She couldn’t see very well the path but then she was merging with the darkness. She was following Nyssa’s instructions strictly, she left the horse next to a stream and continued on foot. She tried to be as quiet as possible and when she neared the camp she started to crawl. “ You have to use stealth and no one should hear you”. Sara took out a binoculars for dark vision and examined the camp. The leader’s tent was in the middle and there was one guard but he was half asleep. They were too close to home to worry for attacks. Sara knew though that this guy must be really good, he will probably hear her as soon as she tries to enter his tent and throw his knife at her. Nyssa warned her that everyone sleeps with a knife under the pillow. She has to think of distraction. She looked around and saw a stray cat sneaking behind her. Sara took some of her food and lured her to catch her and put her in her bag. Then she crawled near the camp and reached the tent from the back of the guard. She lifted the lid and let the cat free. The man inside noticed immediately that someone is entering opened his eyes and threw the knife in the direction of the cat, the knife thrusted in to the rake and the cat made a sound. “Stupid cat” – the man murmured but at the next moment Sara jumped over him, put her knee over his chests and closed his nose with one hand, he instinctively opened his mouth and she poured the poison inside. The man released his grip that he made around Sara’s neck and hе caught his chest and started to convulse. Sara waited until he passed out and checked his pulse. He was death.  
On the way back she couldn’t stop thinking of what she did. There was a time where she will hesitate and couldn’t do it: take someone’s life, now she was taking orders and executing them. “Taking his life was the easy part, I guess, now I have to live with it and this would be the hard one.” To see bulging eyes in front of her before he took his last breath. This man was just some assassin, someone who probably killed a lot of people but she still felt guilty, “ I guess I am just some assassin now, I killed him without having a reason of my own”.  
In the next morning the news for the death of the leader filled the whole castle of Nanda Parbat and everyone was worried but Sara the most. She tried to hide it but she was rethinking her every move. She took all the precautions, she wore gloves and a hat covering her hair. She put back the knife under his pillow, no one noticed her, but what if they make an autopsy and find something. She was anxious for two days even Bikadima noticed it:  
• What it is with you? The man died from hearth attack I’ve heard, nothing to worry  
• Oh, nothing, I am just curious, nothing else  
On the third day the League made a huge funeral and Sara was relieved. Everyone was released from their duty for an hour to attend the funeral. They burned him in a huge fire in the yard while the priestess was singing and after that gave food and drinks. Nyssa approached Sara and pulled her aside  
• You did a good job. The initial medical exam didn’t found anything and I convinced them there is no need for further investigation. – Sara was pouring the drink into her mouth  
• You don’t have some alcohol by any chance  
• No but after we go to our first official mission I’ll make sure you get a bottle of the finest whiskey. – Sara nodded with appreciation. She was chewing a chicken wing and looking at Nyssa while she was turned on the other direction. “ Wow, she is so beautiful and deadly at the same time”. Nyssa’s black raven hair was shining in the sun and her skin and profile looked perfect. Sara knew she was mixed in color but was trying to figure out from what, but still her features were stunning.


	10. Chapter 10

In the evening she felt really exhausted from emotions and wanted to take a bath. The whole process of bathing among others wasn’t her favorite thing but she hoped there will be a spare tub. She entered the bathrooms and for her disappointment there wasn’t any, but she saw that the door at the back is ajar and sneaked in. In the dim light and the hot steam she saw Nyssa having a bath with 2 other women who were all over her. The one was black with tender smooth skin was kissing Nyssa’s neck and the other a while blond was making her a massage and caressing her hair. Sara saw this scene for seconds since they jumped from the sound of the door and looked at her angrily  
• Who told you, you can come in here- shouted the black woman – Sara was embarrassed but she decided to sound cool  
• I thought I can join in – Nyssa was looking at her with a murderous look but after these words she smiled and invited her with a gesture of her hand. It looked like she was in a good mood  
• No – said the black woman, but Sara followed Nyssa’s invitation and took of her clothes and entered the tub and sat at the opposite direction.  
• So I can’t play with you? – Sara smiled at the black woman  
• We look like we are playing? – the woman sounded ironic  
• Yes actually , but this doesn’t look like a playground to me so I don’t understand why you are trying to discriminate me as a kid you don’t want to play with  
• I can't really discriminate your white ass  
• Are you afraid of me. - Sara said intimidating  
• I can't really be afraid of you white girl. You probably never seen what real thread feels likein your white privilidged American life  
• Oh believe me, she would now - Nyssa interrupted her - now if you excuse us I would like to continue what we started.  
Sara smiled and left the tub, and thought of the pain she endured, and how probably this is just the beginning of what awaits for her, seeing the scars of the strong black woman. Nyssa didn’t took her eyes of her while she was leaving and took a good look at her white butt and skin. Sara knew she can’t tell this to anyone but she kept smiling on her way back to her room.  
In the night she dreamed the leader, he was on top of her chocking her, looking at her with his bulging eyes. She woke up without a breath. And tried to think about something pleasant to try to get to sleep again, she remembered Nyssa, looking so hot and inviting naked in the tub and concentrated her thoughts on that. “She is this beautiful, powerful deadly creature” she smiled.  
In the next day Nyssa choose a squad to train privately and she chose Sara too, Sara felt proud. They left the castle and entered the deep forest.  
• Survivor in the open is also one of the most important lessons and choose you because you have good scores in the other fields but you also are all city boys and girls.  
They continued further in to the woods without a path and often jumped over bushes and branches. They were all dressed in full league armor which consisted of: a black attire with armored top, and a hood and a scarf which covered their faces, a sword, a bow with arrows and a backpack for food and water and a sleeping bag, there were going to sleep on the open. Sara started to get tired and to sweat even though she already had physical training. They didn’t stopped for lunch but ate something while walking.  
• You have to experience a real mission – Nyssa said, and Sara tried to think about the beauty of the nature and the forest and not to concentrate on the unpleasant thoughts. She enjoyed that she was out of the castle and the usual training of martial arts and sword fighting and that she can just observe the things around her: the trees, the sound of the wind in the leaves, the stream rustle from afar the chill air who smelled of freedom while she wasn’t free at all.  
• Why did you chose that name, Canary? – Nyssa asked her  
• It reminds me of my father and the freedom I wish I could have. My father bought me this pet a Canary bird when I was little and it squeaked a lot in it’s cage so we set it free in a park. – Sara was looking in front of her and the image of her father resurfaced, he was smiling at her in comfort and shed a tear  
• Must be nice to have a father who cares for you so much. You look very affectionate to your family  
• Yes I am, what about your father, you are not close – Nyssa smiled with a sad face  
• No, he trained me himself, but he never loved me, I don’t think he cares for anyone or anything, but that’s ok, feelings are for the weak.  
• It’s not like that, feelings make you human and humanity can save you some day  
• I doubt that, besides, there is nothing so honorable in humans, they are creatures who always lust power money and blood and would do anything in the name of that. Not like animals, that’s why I like that you chose and animal name, Canary really symbolizes freedom.  
When it started to get dark thy made a camp, Nyssa showed them all the advantages of the place and what is suitable for spending the night. They didn’t lit a fire but ate their sandwiches and quickly went to bed with no conversations. Sara had a nightmare again but this time she dreamed her father, he was lying on the bad all covered in blood and Ra’s Ah Ghul was standing on top of him: attachments make people weak, you should be loyal only to the League. She was turning around in her sleep and screaming nooo. Some noise woke her up and she opened her eyes in shock from the dream but when she turned around she saw one of the man holding Nyssa’s head and trying to pour something in her mouth while another was on top of her holding her down with his knee on her chest. She threw her knife and stuck it in to the man’s back, he released Nyssa but the other threw his and hit Sara in the arm, at this moment Nyssa was already free and overpowered him and snapped his head with her hands. Sara was breathing heavily but still holding on, impressed by Nyssa’s strength. Nyssa quickly run to her and examined her shoulder  
• You are bleeding  
• I am fine, what about you – Nyssa took the knife out and Sara almost screamed but tried to hold it  
• I am ok, I will take care of the wound. Light a fire – the others were already woke up looking in surprise to what happened and obeyed Nyssa’s order.  
Nyssa gently bandaged Sara’s arm and cleaned the blood  
• Thank you, you saved me – Sara just smiled through pain – Why did you do that  
• I think because you will do the same for me – Nyssa caressed her face and thanked her again. She tucked her in the sleeping bag and put hers really near her so she pressed her body next to Sara to keep her warm. Sara was trembling at first but Nyssa pressed in even more which calmed down Sara and she fell asleep. In the morning Nyssa gave order to bury the bodies and they continued their journey. Everyone was silent, Sara wanted to ask Nyssa so many things but she didn’t know if she can. Sometimes Nyssa looked like a person she can talk to but sometimes she was like the stone carvings at Nanda Parbat, her castle. Nyssa was walking uppermost and was looking like she wants company subdued to her own thoughts. And Sara was moving more slowly this time, the backpack felt really heavy. They reached a rocky mountain with vertical rock which almost reached the sky.  
• We have to climb this, you all have ropes and wedge. I will go first and show you.  
She didn’t wasted more time and started the climbing. There were some places where she could put her hands and step on and she used them to go high.  
• Climbing is not about strong hands, it’s about good grip. Another thing – don’t look down.  
Sara wanted to be up there with Nyssa and didn’t hesitated much, started the climb after her. She has tried these climbing walls in the university a couple of times so she didn’t felt like a complete newbie. The others looked at each other but new they don’t have a choice and followed. Sara didn’t even bothered to find their names or start a conversation with them, everyone here was very private and kept to themselves. Maybe the whole rivalry made people not communicative or the fact that at the end of the month they all are going to face each other was enough to know that you can’t make friends. Sara used to be very extrovert and easy going as young but now she started to turn in to this introvert person with dark thoughts, after a year on the prison ship, then the island and now this place, except for Oliver with whom she suffered so much and shared so much in common with their experience together on the island, she learned that she can’t trust people. She remembered Oliver told her Slade’s words: “ everybody is here on themselves” – he would have do great in the League if he didn’t turned in to this crazy mirakuru zombie. But she wasn’t sure about Oliver, he had this enormous heart and strength to perceive, he would definitely not like the idea to take orders and live following all those rules, but then what he would have done, there wasn’t really an escape. She was following Nyssa to her footsteps, her hand hurt but she wanted to reach her level. She almost even the space between them but she had to choose for herself where to step and hold on. Shе smiled proud of herself at Nyssa and Nyssa returned her smile with approval. Sara rested her look on Nyssa, checking up her jaw line and the movement of her face muscles and streak of her neck фром the tension while she was climbing. Nyssa noticed that Sara was staring at her but didn’t turned at her just continued slowly to the top. With her peripheral vision she saw Sara’s hand slipping and she instantly grabbed her. Sara’s body hanged out in the air and she started to try to hold on to something in panic but couldn’t find a spot. Nyssa strained her muscles and pulled her more to her so she reached a ledge where she could step on. Sara pressed her body pressed toward the rock and looked down breathing heavily.  
• Thank you – she whispered  
• Don’t look down, only up. We are almost there – Nyssa reassured her.  
When they reached the top Sara crawled a little further from the edge and lay on the ground looking at the blue sky. There weren’t any clouds and the sky looked infinite and inviting. Sara spread her legs towards the sky and shouted  
• O can’t believe I did that, yohoo  
• I love your enthusiasm – Nyssa smiled. It was quite for a moment before the other come and Nyssa allowed herself to lay next to Sara like two girls playing in the grass, she started to pick up flowers  
• As a kid I loved this training, it gave me feeling that I am immune to everything and that I can reach the heavens  
• I can’t even imagine what was your childhood. Must be strange growing up in that castle?  
• Yes, I was the only kid, raised by assassins and five hundred years old man.  
• You are kidding me – Sara stood on her elbow and looked at her, Nyssa still starting at the sky  
• All I was doing was training, my play ground was the yard with the soldiers and my toys were the weapons.  
• Nice, I see why you are so proficient with them  
• You are not bad yourself, you managed to stab my attacker yesterday from quite a distance.  
• I was practicing that a lot – she praised herself - Who were that man and why did they tried to kill you.  
• I don’t know, but I suggest they were some of the students that someone payed them to get rid of me. I have a lot of enemies in the League. The power and influence I have, a lot of men want my place. I need people around me who I can trust, who can watch my back.  
The others started to pop up from the edge of the cliff and the girls got silent. But this time Nyssa was looking at Sara and studying her face, how peaceful it was staring at the sky with all those freckles sprinkled over her face, but her eyes were deep hiding emotional soul full of mystery and darkness, “She is not that innocent at all, I can’t even imagine what it is like for a girl like her to be in a place like this, but I have a feeling this is not the first time she meets death”. On the way back she couldn’t stop thinking about Sara and what kind of life she had and decided to strike a conversation  
• And what was your childhood? – she asked timidly. Sara looked at her surprised  
• Normal  
• What does normal means  
• Well, real play grounds, I took dancing classes, I did skating, had a big girl band of friends, but also liked to hang out with boys too. As younger I was more of a tomboy. My bigger sister teased me about that. We were at constant war.  
• War, really, what weapons did you use  
• No figuratively saying – Sara smiled – We were very egocentric and didn’t like to share, wanted to be the center of attention. Laurel was always afraid that I will steal her stuff, her game and always tried to screw me over, but I didn’t fell on my back. She was envy that I attracted men’s attention more and she even got me arrested from our Dad in a party she wasn’t invited so I won’t meet a guy we both liked  
• Aaaah – Nyssa exclaimed  
• But we loved each other never the less in some strange way. – Sara looked at her fingers nervously, she wanted to say something more but it just got stuck at her throat – I am thinking an apology to her every day of what a big bitch I was to her. But I won’t be able to tell her any way, she probably think I am dead. She must hate me even more.  
• No one hates their dead sister. Whatever was going on between you two it doesn’t deserve the feeling hate. I’m sure she forgave you a long time ago.  
• How do you know – Sara looked at her with hope she needed some reassurance  
• Men are not worthy and can’t stand between who shares the same blood. – Nyssa looked away – I also have a sister, she is much older than me and she left me alone growing up here, while she wanted to look for her own fortune somewhere else. She knew that being the heir is difficult and maybe one day father will make her marry and give birth to someone she doesn’t want. I understand that now but I hated her back then, but I forgave her now. If I have a chance to see her again I would hug her and ask her for her life, advices because she must have experiences a lot of stuff.  
• Somehow I don’t think Laurel will react like that if we ever see each other again.


	11. Chapter 11

The next trail was near and Sara started to get again anxious and nervous. She trained very hard and started to get better and better but she was worried. Last time she killed a man and she didn’t liked the feeling. She was trying to forget about that but now the memories started to appear. And on another hands her friends will be there too, but then she was impatient to move on to the next stage and maybe join Nyssa on a real mission.  
• If some of you kills me I won’t be mad – Bikadima said at dinner to the other women  
• Come on BIkadima, we don’t have to do that, right? – Sara looked at them for confirmation – There will be enough other men which we can face- the girls looked at each other and nodded in sync.  
Sara was right. This time on the trail there were a lot more contestants and all of them were well trained. Sara picked her sword while the crowd was cheering and looked around noting every opponent she can face. This time the fight started immediately, Sara turned her back towards the audience and faced the center of the circle making sure that no one can stand behind, she attacked the man near her. They all looked equally dangerous so she wasn’t choosing much. But she knew this guy from training. He always stand next to her arguing that she makes him look stronger cause she is a woman and weaker then him. She observed his moves every day and she knew his weaknesses. Winning over him was easy, she made him bleed 3 times and he was disqualified. Then she turned against the one viciously attacking and cornering Bikadima. She was also cornered by two the last time so she knew there were no rules. She attacked him from behind and made him his first bleed. He turned against her angrily and rose his sword above his head swung it and hit her with all his strength. This made Sara’s blade fall from her hands and she was disarmed. He started to attack her and she had to escape his hit without having the possibility to attack herself. At some point she stumbled and fell on the ground the stroke his sword toward her but she swirled and escaped the hit, took some dirt from the ground and threw it in his eyes. He became disoriented and she kicked him, punched him, he lost balance and she grabbed his hand with the sword twisted it and took the sword. Now she was attacking him but he wasn’t very athletic and she managed to cut him 3 times. She won again. Some one grabbed her from behind and threw her on the ground. She was again pressed by some guy’s weight but this time she was on her stomach and couldn’t see who he was. She hated that feeling. The struggle didn’t lasted long though because she loosen the grip and she saw that Bikadima was standing on top of him and stabbed him. Sara freed herself and nodded in gratitude. The crowd was cheering again which meant the trail has finished and Sara looked around to see who was standing. This time she didn’t had any cuts, just some bruises and she felt very good. Bikadima was standing next to her, but she was looking uneasy for Fatat Qarwia. At the other end of the battle field she saw a smaller body lying on the ground and she instinctively run towards that direction. Fatat Qarwia was lying on her back with a stab wound in her stomach. Sara kneeled down and took her head on her lab and pressed the wound with her hands.  
• You will be alright. Don’t worry, you’ll survive this. –Fatat was very weak and couldn’t say anything she just shook her head and looked at Sara with her dark dizzy eyes. – No, no, hang on Fatat, I got you. I know a little medicine, I will fix you. – Bikadima was already crying next to them. Sara looked around to search for help and she saw the cheering crowd and the victorious men around them, no one was paying attention. – We need help – she looked again towards Fatat but she was already gone, her face was immovable and her eyes widely open.  
• She is gone, Ta-er al-Sahfer, we lost her – Bikadima put her hand on her shoulder and got up. -Come on, let’s get up before someone noticed out weakness.  
Sara was covered in tears. She hasn’t cried for a long time and now she couldn’t stop. She took her friend’s hand and left the other one to lie on the ground. She couldn’t protect them both. She left Fatat’s side and now she is gone. It was her fault the little village girl was gone.  
• Maybe she finally found her place and she is really free now  
• I wanna believe that.  
On the moment they left the stadium though they both were apprehended by League soldiers and dragged again in to the dungeons. Sara tried to protest but the men where silent  
• What is happening, where are you taking me, what have I done  
They locked her up in her old cell in the dark and cold place and threw a bowl full with hallucinogenic mushrooms.  
• Eat – the guard demanded  
Sara was confused but soon she realized what was happening. The guard started to come every day giving her mushrooms and when he saw that she hasn’t touched them he beat her up with a speech  
• Emotions make you weak – a blow to the chest – you should forget about having feelings – a kick in the stomach – you should eat your mushrooms  
Sara tried to defend herself but he was better and stronger than her and she started to get more tired and in pain with every day so she gave up at the end. She began to eat the mushrooms and realized that they helped her not feel the pain and the hunger anymore but then they did other stuff. They brought the nightmares. Her sister Laurel throwing a book at her saying how she is a bitch and she stole something that it’s hers. Then Ivo calling her ungrateful bitch because she refused to take part in to his experiments anymore and wanted to help her friends. She dreamed how she was brought in Ivo’s ship only on her underwear and how the sailors were looking at her with hungry tearing her apart eyes, how they locked her in a cage where she was hearing the other prisoner scream, and then how this doctor offered her a chance to save the humans race and that he will protect her from the others if she helps him. She had to tear little pieces of her soul in order to be ok with the things the doctor was doing but all she was thinking is how she wanted to survive to preserve herself from the horror of sexual abuse and torture and come home. This was with a price of course, her soul suffered and now she was seeing faces who blamed her, coming out from the darkness and accusing her of being cold hearted. She couldn’t say how much time has passed, everything was subdued in the chill darkness, only the guard marked the periods bringing more mushrooms and giving his speech about how a good soldier is the one deprived of feeling and emotions. Even the empty space and smell of mold had density now and looked like ghosts of the prison sailor of the ship coming for her trying to touch her and crush her. But she wasn’t screaming, she was facing them with wide open eyes as a challenge she can take. Nyssa would never crawl in fear so why would she.  
After a weak her time in the dungeon ended and they let her out. In the corridor to her room she saw Bikadima who was also just released, and greeted her but Bikadima ignored her completely like she doesn’t know her. Sara was too tired to care though, she just threw herself on the bed and enjoyed the softness of the sheets. Just a week ago these 2 women saved each other.

In the next day she resumed training. Nyssa was there and was choosing students that she will train herself. She picked the best and among them Sara and Bikadima. She was pleased but didn’t felt any satisfaction, something was missing and she felt even more empty. Bikadima continued to act like she doesn’t know Sara and to avoid her.The trainings became even more complex, the pupils had to fight while trying to overcome difficulties from the environment around them. One of the exercise put Sara on a wooden board high above the ground and balancing with a wooden stick she had to fight her opponent until one of them drops. The other challenge was pass through a dungeon full of traps, hidden in the walls or the floor that pop up if you step on the wrong place and either something hits you or you fall in a shaft. The student had to pass without getting hurt but it was almost impossible.

  * You should learn to mind your surroundings and train your reflexes. – Nyssa was telling them



The most difficult was when they were put in a completely dark enclosed space where they had to escape Nyssa’s hits from her blade.

  * You should open your other senses, learn to predict from where I am coming – at first she put everyone of them separately and hunt them one by one. Sara came out of this all covered in bleeds, but she didn’t showed any emotions.
  * What a bitch – a guy named Ramah said to Sara pointing at Nyssa – she just enjoys toying with us – Sara looked at him with an empty look and didn’t replied at all



Nyssa was sensing that something was happening with her and became worried. She felt broken but in the bad way, her spirit was broken and she didn’t had any spark and ambition to carry on. After a while things weren’t getting better and Nyssa noticed that Sara was even standing alone in the corner of the training room like punished not to talk to anyone. This guy Ramah was trying to attract her attention:

  * Saw you on the last trail, you were very good. You are e few months newer than me but you are already in Nyssa’s squad, that’s quite an achievement. – but Sara wasn’t paying him any attention



She was getting very good with her exercises and Nyssa should have been pleased but she felt unsatisfied, she was used to see Sara’s lively eyes throwing sparks with enthusiasm and charm and she hasn’t seen anyone who still managed to stay so down to earth and relatable showing compassion towards others in the League. Nyssa missed that Sara, Sara who didn’t wanted to forget.

The last trail passed and Sara survived it with 2 cuts but one of them was heavy cut on her arm that almost left her crippled. She was taken to a healing room where the healers where fighting to save her arm but Sara was really spiritless to what was happening to her. She turned her head on one side and was watching the shadows caused by the flickers of the candles.

  * You can just kill me now, better for me – Nyssa heard her say while she entered the room
  * Leave us – she ordered the others – I will save you Ta-er al-Sahfer and your arm, you shouldn’t give in to despair.
  * It’s not a despair, I just don’t see the reason of leaving anymore
  * I will show you that there is – Nyssa caressed her hair gently – I promise




	12. Chapter 12

Two days later a soldier entered Sara’s room with the words that she has been summoned. After that trail Sara was officially accepted as a League soldier and she didn’t needed to pass anymore trails, she proved herself and was ready for missions. She entered a big operation room which amazed her. There in the space of stone carvings and the light of candles was displaying a huge computer installment with one of the most modern and complex technology with a lot of monitor which showed different maps of the world. Nyssa was staying at the center together with Ramah and some other men.  
• We are going to a very important mission- Nyssa said without turning around but she could feel how Sara, standing behind her, adrenaline was rising and that made her happy. She couldn’t even say why she cared for some girls emotions but subconsciously she felt Sara was influencing her. She has never met someone so normal and human in this so far away forgotten place. She has met other women with tragic past but Sara was the only one who showed compassion for others even though the training was constantly trying to pitch people against each other. And show different emotions – passionate conversations about feminism, cry for a girl she recently met. Even though Himalayas were cold and raw mountains Nyssa was feeling this warmth when she was near Sara. – We have to find this man – Nyssa showed a picture on the screen of a middle aged Аrab – from Pakistan and kill him since he sells guns to the opponent of our client. We will meet our contact on a market in Lahore, she is one of his 4 wife who was contacted by one of our operatives in the city. We leave after and hour, you have time to pack your gear. The supplies will be additionally arranged.  
Sara waited until the engine of the truck starts and got in front where Nyssa was sitting. The League had this barn lower in the mountain from where the road started full with trucks and automobiles for every need which they reached by horses who were left in the stables next to the barn.  
• So who is this man, why are we killing him – Sara was popping her head from behind Nyssa and talking almost on her ear.  
• There is no more secret agenda then what I told you. During war time there are always these scumbags who earn money on the back of the misery of people by selling guns to both parties so the war continues.  
• So will eliminating him change something  
• Not much unfortunately, these wars are endless, but this will shatter the market a little and our client will benefit.  
• And who is your client, Nyssa? Another scumbag selling guns  
• He is an American actually, paying us a lot of money. I don’t ask questions, but the League was following this man for years and he has to go – Nyssa could feel Sara’s eagerness to find out more and her energy was filling her.  
They were descending from the mountain in a dusty road and the places which they were passing were magnificent and extremely beautiful. In one side Sara could see a hill covered with century old forest with pine trees and cedar. On the other a river was paving a way through the rocks with stunning small waterfalls. Sara couldn’t stop to soak these amazing views which she probably would have never seen if she was leaving her normal life in Star City, and she felt liberated from a burden of the depression that was suffocating her for weeks. She felt light in her heart and if she wasn’t thinking about the mission she could just enjoy the travel. Before they reached the border of Pakistan they called on the way towards a small town where they changed the truck with 3 cars with 5 men in each. They also received new clothes and put their League ones in the backpacks. Sara received typical American tourist’s clothes with a scarf to cover her blond hair. Except Nyssa she was the only other woman in the mission and the others dressed up according to their roles role. Nyssa gave everybody a fake passport and to Sara and American one with a fake name with a fake visa. Sara hold it and squeezed it really hard looking at it like a kid who hasn’t seen a chocolate in a long time.  
• We all have our own identities, learn them well because if someone fuck this up we all be screwed. – then she lowered towards Sara and whispered in her ear – your heart is on your sleeve, be more ambiguous. – Sara looked unsettled and shook her head in denial  
They passed the border without a problem and reached the first town by night fall. Nyssa has booked a motel where everyone got a room. She entered Sara’s room without knocking and saw her stuff something in her luggage in surprise looking at her anxiously  
• What are you hiding, Ta-er al-Sahfer?  
• Nothing, just a photo – she took it out and showed it to Nyssa – it was photo of a young girl with black hair  
• Who is she? – Nyssa took it I her hand and examined it  
• When I was on the island there was this pilot who crashed – Sara sat on the bed and looked at Nyssa – he died in my hands from his injuries, I couldn’t do anything to save him, but before he died he gave me a picture of his daughter and asked me if I ever made it to find her and take care of her because she doesn’t have anyone. Even though I doubted that I will ever be able to fulfill this promise I gave it to him. – Sara took the photo from Nyssa’s hands and looked at it – I have forgotten about that during the past month but now I was going through my stuff and was reminded how this picture of this unknown girl makes me feel  
• And how is that – Nyssa got close to her  
• Filled with purpose to carry on  
• That’s a good thing – Nyssa smiled – I brought you a chocolate, the sweet temptation  
Sara looked at the sweet like she sees something like this for the first time and timidly broke a piece and put it in her mouth. The soft warm substance melted in her mouth and left a sticky juicy trace on her lips.  
• This is so good, I’ve forgotten how delightful it is – Sara put two more pieces at once in her mouth and the soft substance started to come out of the edges of her lips. –mmm – she moaned. Nyssa wiped very slowly and gently her lips with her finger and then licked it.  
• Yes it is very delightful – she was looking at her with a big smile and pleasure in her eyes. Sara looked embarrassed and licked with tongue the rest of the chocolate but noticed that Nyssa continue to look at her. She was wearing just a shirt unbuttoned at the top and flurry trousers and appeared strangely beautiful in this light. A sound of exploding bomb at the distance echoed in the room and Sara jumped from surprise.  
• It’s a war Ta-er al-Sahfer, never ending war  
Sara looked through the window, the motel was outside of the center of the city but the surrounding environment was in ruins, the road was stirred and the building on the other side was in wrack. She could hear a continuous gun shots at the distance, and the air smelled of dust from concrete and gunpowder.  
• Don’t worry, we are save here, no one lives in this part of the city anymore and the war zone moved further. I chose this place for a perfect base.  
Sara has never been in a war before and right now she was just seeing the consequences but tomorrow she will probably had to face the real horror. She swallowed nervously, she had to be prepared. She turned around from the window:  
• Where did you get this chocolate, Nyssa? – Sara smiled with a big smile  
• I smuggled it, I have resources. It was to make you smile  
• You are one mysterious deadly assassin with a heart, you actually care for your soldiers to smile?  
• No, just you – Nyssa passed slowly very close to her and left the room.


	13. Chapter 13

In the morning they traveled with an armored truck to the center. Sara’s decoy was that she is a journalist so she was taking pictures along the way. They passed some dead bodies and the strong awful smell filled the truck, Sara didn’t turned around but photographed them. There was no point in turning away from the grotesque images, this was her life now and she had to get used to the destruction and terror. The yesterday battle has finished and people has submerged from their shelters. Nyssa and Sara left the truck and mingled among a crowd in a market.  
• We have a meeting here with our informant, the wife of our target.  
• Why is she betraying him?  
• He abuses her, and the other women and their children too. She hates his guts. – Sara’s stomach rolled and she swallowed the information like she had to swallow spikes. Nyssa noticed that and continued.  
• Women and children are the one who suffer the most from the war, they are deprived from all human rights here. Domestic violence is one of the common things  
• How can you talk about this with such a calm voice  
• I learned not to associate with all the pain in the world Sara, because other wise I will kill my self. Why are you so emotional about something that is so far away from you, you come from such a different world?  
• No woman should ever suffer in the hands of men. And just because my world looks perfect from the out side this doesn’t mean we still don’t suffer discrimination or domestic violence, when someone has power over the weaker they will always take advantage.  
• You suffered that, I see it in your eyes.  
They were interrupted by a woman covered in a black burka who pushed in to them. The market was full of people who were hungry for goods and food pushing each outer and shouting something in Arabic. Nyssa immediately recognized their informant and stopped her pace. She looked at her seeing only her eyes and she gave her a piece of paper that she stuffed in her hand and then disappeared in the crowd.  
• I got the information. Let’s go – Nyssa said. Sara didn’t even noticed what happened and looked surprised but followed her. On the way back Nyssa was silent but at the near end of their journey back to the motel in the suburbs she spoke  
• This woman – she made a pause – She reminded me of my mother  
• How come, she was all covered – Sara was surprised  
• In her eyes, I saw the same pain from a difficult lonely life filled with suffering and sorrow of inability to protect her children.  
• You never told me about you mother – Sara’s voice was soft and gentle showing a lot of compassion.  
• I will. Stop the car – Nyssa commanded.  
On the street a group of armed men were harassing a young woman tearing her veil and clothes apart. With few jumps Nyssa reached the scene and attacked them from behind. One of them tried to shoot at her but she grabbed his gun first tore it from his hands and smacked him with the handle, then she stabbed the one who was approaching from behind, climbed the wall with some jumps and threw her weight over the two remaining men knocking them down. She looked at the girl who was trying to fix her clothes  
• Are you all right – she asked her in Arabic  
• They killed my father – she was crying and talking through tears. Next to her there was a body of a men not wearing the same uniform next to a building ruined from bombing. We were going to my uncle to ask for help.  
• I will bring you to him – Nyssa said – get in the truck. The girl didn’t hesitated and obeyed. When she turned her back, Nyssa took her knife and executed all the men she fought lying on the ground  
• Why did you do that – Sara asked  
• The League don’t leave witnesses. Besides – no woman should eve suffer in the hands of men.  
At the base at the motel Nyssa gathered the rest of the crew and presented the acquired information.  
• This is the name and the address of the main guard of our target, Tonight we will visit his place and kidnap him. You and you – she pointed at two men – will prepare the room for interrogations.  
The team had the name and the address of the main guard of their main target. The plan was to kidnap him and make him talk about the security system of the house, what are the whereabouts of his employer and where are the guns and ammunition. Kidnaping him wasn’t difficult and after an hour he was tied up and locked in the room prepared for interrogations. Nyssa nodded towards one of the man from the team giving him silent orders to get to business of extracting the information. They were standing in front of the room looking at the closed door where their victim was. Sara’s palms started to sweat and tremble. She can picture what was about to happen and the scream and pain she was about to hear coming from this man inside.  
• Wait – She interrupted the man going inside – I want to try – Nyssa looked at her surprised  
• I have a different method of extracting information but I will need a certain amount of these substances – and she put down on a piece of paper a list of ingredients. Nyssa looked at it intrigued and gave the man the list  
• Take care of this. I want to see Ta-er al-Sahfer method  
After an hour Sara was ready with mixing her potion from the chemicals and the drugs the League man brought which she put in a syringe. Nyssa was looking behind her shoulder curious  
• What is this?  
• This is the truth serum. The man who kept me prisoner on Amazo was a crazy doctor, he thought me a lot about chemistry and biology, he used this serum to extract the truth. He also thought me about torture, but I don’t want to go back to that, I don’t think I will ever be ok with it – Sara answered determined. Nyssa nodded  
• I would love to see your serum in action.  
Both women entered the room with their hostage and got close to him. At first he looked really frightened but then even more horrified when he saw the syringe.  
• What is this? What are you going to do to me – he screamed  
• Relax! It won’t hurt, I just want you to tell me somethings – Sara said with a cold even voice demanding respect and injected the substance in him. He shivered a little and started to sweat. – I want to know where is your master now and where is he keeping the guns  
After half an hour the guard had told them everything they wanted without them touching him at all: the security codes, how many guards protect the house and that tomorrow evening he with half of his security will meet a buyer to whom they will sell a missile. Nyssa gathered her team and made a plan. Tomorrow night she and half of the men will follow the dealer of guns and stop take him down on the meeting with the buyer while the rest will attack the house and destroy the rest of the guns. Nyssa put Sara in the team that will go in the house.  
Everything was going according to the plan. The security was like the kidnapped guard told them. They disarmed the guards in the back and got in the house. Then one of the men disabled the security system, Sara watched closely what he was doing wanting to learn and they proceeded further in the house.  
• Let’s separate – Sara whispered – There are still a lot guards in the house we have to be sure no one will surprise us  
• I command here – said the man who Nyssa put on charge – we all go in the cellar and look for the guns. That is out priority – everyone obeyed without further questioning.  
They went down to the basement and the tech guy unlocked again the doors. Inside they found a lot of wooden boxes but the alarm system went on and distracted them.  
-What is going on? – the leader shouted – I thought we disabled that. Ta-er al-Sahfer go and check this out  
Sara went upstairs and found that couple of the death guards were discovered and someone switched the alarm on.  
• We won’t have time to take all those munitions, there are some big explosives. We are going to set them up – Sara heard the voice of the leader coming from the radio.  
• What, no, there are women and children in the house – Sara responded  
• Your task is to find the main station of the security and kill the guards there before they warn their boss of our intentions. We will set the explosives around the house.  
Sara stood in silence for couple of seconds that felt like ages surrounded by the narrow walls of the corridor of the house that felt like prison. She didn’t even know why she was here, this was her first mission with the League and while she felt she was doing something meaningful she wasn’t sure about the motives and the outcome. A war was something so complex and there was never a right side, only the innocent suffered, she knew this man deserves what he will get but for what he was dong to his women and kids and if they weren’t saved nothing will make sense. She quickly climbed the stairs on the second floor and saw the door of the office opened. She entered slowly pointing her bow in front of her. A man was kneeling in front of an open safe and what it looked like was trying to rob his boss. Sara surprised him from behind and knocked him out. She took the money and proceeded further in the corridor. She heard a female scream coming from the master bedroom and run in that direction. She kicked the door open and hit a man standing behind it. The next one who was close to her pointed his gun at her but she repeated Nyssa’s moved from yesterday when she defeated the attacker on the street. She grabbed the gun from his hands, pulled it and hit him with the handle while she threw a knife at another man who was about to shoot at her. They are around 5 and 2 were down but the other 2 were preparing their guns to shoot at her, she hid behind the body of the man she just knocked out but the one who was on the ground surprised her from behind and grabbed her. She pushed her weight to the wall putting him between her and the bricks and took her other knife and stabbed him. One of the other men punched her in the face but when he was about to strike again she lowered herself and he hit his team mate. She squeezed between them and escaped them in to the other room where all the woman and children were locked looking very frightened. Sara locked the room and told them in Arabic  
• I am here to help you. You have to get out of here – the guard were trying to get in so she secured the room with a big locker. – Hurry the house will explode  
They obeyed looking at her terrified but also with curiosity and Sara helped them go out of the window with a rope. When all of them were out she saw one of the cars the League came with and pointed it out to them  
• Do you have a place to go – she looked at the woman that she met at the market and put some money in her hands  
• My father works at a hospital. We’ll go there, but we don’t know how to drive- Sara started the car and explained  
• It’s automatic, just go around the center and avoid the main streets. You’ll be fine – she encouraged them and the woman hugged her.  
• Thank you, thank you  
When she was sure they left safely she turned around to face the house and at that moment everything exploded a massive thunder of bricks and concrete poured over her. She jumped at the last minute but something hit her and she lost consciousness. After minutes 2 league members were pulling her from the wreckage.  
• We have to go – the leader was shouting – We destroyed the guns but before that the guard called for backup – Sara heard a helicopter approaching and they all rushed in to the remaining truck. The helicopter started to follow them and to shoot at them. The League didn’t answer the fire just tried to escape  
• At a moment like this don’t you wish you had guns – Sara joked  
• We are assassin who do our job in the shadows, not army men. You messed up everything. – the leader couldn’t sound more angry but still his voice was lacking any emotions. They heard Nyssa’s voice on the radio  
• Allure them in the direction I’ll send you the coordinates. We will wait for you there.  
The driver managed to escape the main hits and the fact that the truck was armored helped them. They reached the destination Nyssa told them, outside of the city, and like she said they were there with another truck waiting for them. Nyssa was holding a bazooka and fired the missile against the helicopter who turned into flames and exploded. The thread was gone and everyone was relieved.


	14. Chapter 14

Back at the base everyone was quiet and looked very serious. The leader of the operation house spoke:  
• Ta-er al-Sahfer disobeyed my orders and endangered the mission – he said with an even voice  
• The mission derailed because we didn’t separate to check for other guards who could discover that we entered the house and set the alarm, like it happened  
• I am a senior member and I call the shots, you didn’t fulfill my orders and you should be punished – Sara wanted to say something more but she saw Nyssa in the corner nodding with approval, she swallowed her words and looked down.  
Sara was brought to the interrogation room and asked to remove her upper clothes. They tied her hands with ropes on the ceiling and took out a whip. Sara hold her breath in anticipation, any moment the leather will tear her naked skin apart and she just wanted to be strong and not to scream. The splashed echoed in the concrete room and the whip stroke her back leaving a bloody trace, Sara shivered and bite her lips, this was awfully painful but she had to endure it. Another one tore the silence and her white skin started to turn in to red. Twenty more and Sara’s back was scared with red lines all over, her head was hanging down and her eyes were closed, she was still biting her lips. They released her from the ropes and she dropped immovable on the ground. The men left the room and Nyssa entered. She took Sara’s head on her lap and caressed her face. The nice sensation made Sara loosen up her facial muscles and her lips. Nyssa continued to caress her hair  
• I am so sorry Sara, I am so sorry that this had to happen – Nyssa wrapped her in a blanket and helped her go to her room  
She brought water and bandages and started to clean her wounds.  
• I am not mad at you Nyssa – Sara groaned – I knew you had to do it. You are a leader and you had to follow the rules the most  
• I left you on you first mission, alone, I shouldn’t have. Taking down that man was important but I wanted you to be in the house because somehow I knew you will help that women. – Nyssa made a pause and wiped the blood from Sara’s back and put some herbs to ease the pain. – My mother lived her life in a constant struggle and abuse as a kid and then she was forced to marry my father without consent. When I became 10 my father stole me from my house and my mother was killed by the League so she will never look for me. For years I have forgotten this story growing up without my memories about my mother, brain washed her from me but I recently visited my home village in Tibet and I started to remember. – Nyssa looked down and a tear escaped her eye and fell down her cheek. Sara stood on her elbow and wiped it with her hand.  
• I am sorry about your mother Nyssa, she didn’t deserve this. You didn’t deserve this. – Nyssa looked at her too and she was also crying. She hugged her and lie next to her. I will keep you warm. This night will be cold and you are hurt. Sara didn’t protest and crawled in to the embrace. Nyssa wasn’t pressing her too hard but her breath was close enough to warm Sara’s skin.  
In the night Sara dreamed about the island again. She was in the broken plane in the mountain and listening on the radio Oliver screaming while Slade torture him. Oliver was in immense pain pleading Slade to forgive him, then she run to the beach to find his body facing the sand, she turned him around and saw his dead eyes facing her with cold expression all covered in blood. He was dead. “No, Ollie” - she screamed and woke up in fear. Nyssa hold her hand and caressed her hair still lying next to her.  
• It’s ok, you had a bad dream. You are safe – Sara looked at her and calmed her breathing. Her back was hurting and she moaned.  
• How do you do it, sleep so peacefully  
• I just got used to it, the pain and the regrets, life is a torture no matter where you are – Nyssa smiled sadly – I’ll give you a cup of water. She came back and helped Sara to get up and drink  
• And who is Ollie – she asked in hesitation  
• He is a man I loved. I run away from home with him leaving my family and my sister hating me because I wanted to follow my heart. Then his ship wrecked and I ended up with the crazy doctor in a ship full of pirates and then the island where I reconnected with him only to be separated again by the other ship crashing again.  
• People do crazy things for love – Nyssa agreed  
• Yes, love is the most powerful emotion – Sara was looking Nyssa in the eyes – Sometimes I think all those things happen to me as a punishment for the crimes I did in its name  
• What crimes?  
• I wasn’t supposed to go on that boat trip. My sister Laurel was dating him at the time but he was having doubts about their relationship and called me. – Sara looked at her ashamed  
• Have you thought that maybe you saved your sister in this way. Maybe if Oliver wasn’t thinking about you at that moment he would have invited your sister and she would have ended up on the ship with the pirates. – Sara tried to imagine this awful image of Laurel on Amazo and shivered. – You spared her all that misery, she will be thankful and you are suffering now so she wouldn’t have to.  
• But one day I will put all this suffering in to doing greater things – Sara interrupted her  
• I believe you will – Nyssa crawled back in to the bed and hugged her – Go to sleep


	15. Chapter 15

Sara was sitting on her bed in Nanda Parbat reading a book when she heard a knock on the door  
• You’ve been summoned  
Sara entered Nyssa’s room with pleasure and saw her drinking a glass of wine alone dressed just with a flurry white garment. Sara smiled widely.  
• You asked for me – she bowed  
• Yes, you have another mission – Sara frowned – This time it’s really important to do it right, Ta-er al-Sahfer. This will ensure your future here and whether you’ll spend your time in the dungeon being brainwashed with mushrooms or being more free and going on missions with me.  
• I understand – Sara nodded  
• The mission is simple and you will go alone. – Nyssa handed Sara a file with a picture and an address – You have to eliminate this man  
• You mean kill him, who is he? – Nyssa could see that this still made Sara nervous  
• He is – she paused – he is a league member who broke our codes. He killed a lot of men Sara, no need to pity him. – Sara looked at the picture, the mam was young in his forties and had dark skin his name was Suarez, she looked at the address, somewhere in Guianas, south America.  
• I am going to south America?  
• I will have to do a business in Brazil and will meet you there after a week. Suarez is a local diplomat, you have to eliminate him – kill him – she corrected herself before this meeting – she pointed out a date on the papers. – Don’t think about it so much, just do it and walk away – she looked in to Sara’s eyes and saw fear – I know you can handle it  
When Sara got on the plane she hasn’t felt more free then ages. She was trying to pretend she was going home and being normal person on the international flight. She was surrounded by all those regular everyday people who were having loud conversations and screaming kids running around with no purpose. None of them knew about the horror of the wars in the middle east or a place called Nanda Parbat. Sara tried to remember to take out her knife from her pocket in the check in in the airport, and to look calm and smiling not to attract attention.  
• A white woman will never drove attention – she remembered Nyssa’s black friend telling her when she was getting ready for the mission  
Maybe she was right. Sara’s suitcase was full of weapons but the police at the airport didn’t checked her out at all. She wore an European passport with a visa and everything looked legal.  
On the plane she watched a couple of movies because she couldn’t sleep. “ When are they going to make a movie about women” she thought. Her life was like a whole move but yet she couldn’t associate with anyone because all the stories and journeys were about guys while women were some desperate house wives.  
When she got out of the airport the hot humid air struck her immediately and she was covered in sweat in no time. In the airport she was wearing a jacket and long jeans because of the air conditioner and now she felt over dressed and the hot climate was killing her, she felt like in a bath with constant running hot water. A taxi took her across the city to an apartment which the League has rented for her. It was a small room but with a perfect view towards the house of her main target. The city wasn’t big and the streets were small, the buildings not so high, she could perfectly see with a binoculars in the rooms of the building across the street. She put her suitcase on the bed and sat next to it. And took the file of Suarez, opened it and looked at the picture. Right now he was just a picture but soon this would change. Some months ago she was on an island trying to escape and survive the pirates and now she was in a crappy room with a plan to kill a man like an assassin. And the worse thing was that a powerful beautiful woman was making her do this things, Sara couldn’t figure out should she hates her or admire her. Nyssa has been through so much herself, she was practically raised like that, she never knew what a real family feels like. But she looked like everything she was doing comes so natural to her and it’s so easy. Sara tried already on Amazo to switch her emotions and to distance herself from dr Ivo’s victims, now she had to do it again, but killing a man just like that wasn’t easy. She has done it already once, in the mountains, she killed the leader, that time she didn’t had so much time to think about it so much though, she had to use that strength and conviction that she is doing the right thing.  
Sara took the binoculars and got close to the window, she drew the curtain just a little bit so she can look through but still stays hidden. The room across got lighten up and a man entered, this was Suarez, he put his suitcase on the desk and took out some papers. What were the things he was doing that he League wanted him dead? Nyssa said that he was one of them who broke the code and that was enough reason but maybe there was something else. It seems the League gave a lot of power and he managed to become a diplomat. Not everyone was a mindless ninja drone who just kills and maybe Sara would someday manage to do things for herself. This started to look less doomy now and she gained her determination. Something broke it very quickly, a girl entered the room and Suarez turned all smiley and happy. He hugged her and caressed her little brown head. She kissed him on the cheek and left. Sara turned away from the window and frowned. She watched Suarez through the whole evening, somewhere around 12 he turned off the light in his office and went to his bedroom but first he passed through his daughter’s room and kissed her goodbye. It seemed the mother wasn’t living with them so he was alone in bed. Sara couldn’t sleep though and was pacing around the room the whole night thinking about her plan.  
In the morning she followed Suarez to his work and waited outside. He didn’t go anywhere else, had a lunch at his desk and left at 19 o’clock. He didn’t look like an assassin at all or someone who killed people, on the contrary his colleagues seemed to like him and be friendly. As a diplomat he drove a little bit better car than the standards of the country and had a driver and a bodyguard. This time Sara circled around his house and saw that the security were 3 men and a simple alarm system that he didn’t put on when he was in the house. He mingled very well in this small south American country and maybe he never thought that the League can find him here.  
Tonight was the night she had to act, tomorrow was the meeting Nyssa warned her about and she didn’t have much time to overthink it. She put on her League clothes and braided her hair so it won’t get on the way. She used to do that as a kid when she was running around the streets, she has always been a wild one, but this time it was different. She jumped over the fence on the right side of the house and passed by the first guard without him noticing her. She remembered her training in the dark dungeon where Nyssa was hunting them and knew she had to be very quiet. Sara climbed the wall and opened the window of the corridor on the second floor using her knife. The other guard was sleeping on a chair in front of the kid’s room which door was slightly opened. Sara made two steps and entered Suarez bedroom whose door was also unlatched. She sneaked in and jumped over him, pressing his chests with her knee. He woke up in surprise and pain and looked at her straight in the eyes. He recognized her attire immediately and knew what was happening:  
• Please, you don’t need to do this, Ra’s will never know you let me escape – his eyes where pleading. Sara was looking at him with cold unemotional eyes with a deadly look, she switched out completely and without thinking further she took her knife and slit his throat. The blood poured on streaks from both sides and made 2 red puddles on the white sheets. His eyes still widely opened were looking dead at Sara now. She jumped quickly and escaped the room from the window.  
In the morning she saw how his daughter found her dad’s dead body in the bed. She entered the room to kiss him good morning and saw him lying on his back all covered in blood. She screamed and run towards him to hug him but he didn’t return the hug and stood cold and motionless. Sara’s soul tore apart, she knew she shouldn’t watch this but she couldn’t help it. She made this girl an orphan and horrible images started to appear in front of her eyes, she saw her dad lying all in blood in his bed and Ra’s standing on top of him with a knife, then her mother and her sister slaughtered in the same manner with wide opened eyes pleading for mercy. The fear that this can happen to her family was strong and yet she caused that to this little girl. The guilt swallowed her and it was like a drug, it made her feel more and more bad but she couldn’t shake of the feeling and succumbed to it.


	16. Chapter 16

The girl’s face sealed in her mind and she couldn’t stop seeing her through her whole travel to Manaus, Brazil where Nyssa was waiting for her. When she saw her she instantly recognized that something was wrong with Sara. She had this darkness hanging over her and her eyes has lost her warmth and shine. She looked strict and stuporous coming out of the airport and entering the car. Nyssa greeted but she just nodded and looked on the other direction. They traveled to the hotel in silence and when they checked in Nyssa plunged after Sara in her room.  
• I am taking you to dinner.  
• I thought you don’t allow yourselves the allurement of the western world.  
• We are in Brazil in the Amazon jungle, I think this is quite different. – Nyssa joked but Sara didn’t smile at all  
The restaurant was nice cozy with dim light and white cloths at the tables with candles. Sara and Nyssa took a table near the window from which they can see the street. Nyssa ordered fish and Sara took the lamb chops, they ordered a salad to share and Nyssa picked the wine.  
• So what’s wrong, someone would say you failed the mission and now you are afraid to look me in the eyes – Sara jumped nervously  
• On the contrary, I did as you said  
• So  
• So now I can’t get this image out of my head. His daughter crying in desperation. I am a killer and nothing can change that now  
• People die all the time Sara, we are all killers, or slowly killing ourselves with bad food. It doesn’t matter, the world is full of people and these people cause misery and sufferings to other people. If it wasn’t this man, probably some other man would have died, someone who he would have killed, that’s the cycle of the world. We can’t save everyone and the earth is crowded anyway. I think you are too much brainwashed by your society idea of humanity. They make you believe how everyone deserves to live or a second chance and to give money for charity in the poor countries but then create diseases and wars just to keep in check the population. And the big misery in which a lot of people live is because they are too many in regions that can’t breed such a big population, so people die from hunger and we see this as big tragedy while it would have been such a better solution if they weren’t born at all and in some way we controlled the birth. But everything is politics and distribution of money. One man’s life doesn’t mean anything in the big picture.  
• How can you be like that – Sara listened to her with astonishment – Have you ever thought about what it’s like to be normal, to have a normal life  
• But I’m normal – Nyssa smiled – Don’t you agree  
• I think I do – Sara smiled for the first time – I just see things in a different way, different scale. I see the small house and the family inside having small talks at dinner and kissing goodnight.  
• I’m sure you were mommy’s princess. Some people never had this though – she paused and realized that this doesn’t change the way Sara feels – Tell me about your family  
• My mom was a professor at the university in physics. She was very flamboyant and exuberant person making everyone turn around after her and want to be in her company, but with me she was very soft. She always supported me, even in my stupid decisions. When I left home the last time I saw her I remember telling her how I am going to run away with my sister’s boyfriend and that I want to follow my heart and she gave me her blessing, she kissed me and told me to take care of myself. I can’t imagine how she feels now when she realized she lost me forever. – Sara looked at her food and then shook her head – But I shouldn’t talk about this right, not if I don’t want to get a session of brainwashing to forget my past  
• No, I like that you can still be part of this but you hold on to your past. I like how human you feel and different then all the others in the League. You have a very strong personality – Nyssa touched Sara’s hand and cared her with one finger. Sara looked at her and smiled.  
• So why are we here?  
• We have to track down a mafia boss who smuggle cocaine. And you have experience in the jungle and with poisonous plants, so I figured you are perfect for this mission  
• I heard on the radio in the taxi about two missing women  
• So  
• So, maybe we can try to find them too, while on the mission – Nyssa scowled – Oh, please don’t tell me you don’t care Nyssa, I know you do  
• Fine – Nyssa agreed and took a sip from her wine.  
When they left the restaurant Sara stopped before the taxi and took a deep breath, looked at the dark sky and searched for the stars. The street was vast, there weren’t many lights and the stars were visible. She took another breath and felt relaxed and calm for the first time from a long time.  
• Don’t you feel free now and different, relaxed outside of the castle and without the others constantly looking at what you are doing and how  
• I never felt otherwise, my abilities, knowledge and power make me feel exactly free and calm that my destiny relies on me.  
• Even when there are men trying to kill you  
• People try to kill you and harm you all the time, even in what you consider a normal life  
• You are one unique woman, Nyssa – Sara smiled and put her fingers through her hair playing with a dark silky lock.  
• What are you doing – Nyssa took her hand in hers  
• Something you quite enjoyed doing with me – Sara smiled widely and didn’t lowered her look but continued to stare in her dark eyes.  
In the morning Nyssa came early in Sara’s room but she already was up doing her morning routine of exercises.  
• I received the files from the hacker, he hacked the local police – Nyssa started from the door. – The two women - she started explaining – mother and a daughter with a family name Stone stayed at an all-inclusive hotel and one night didn’t come back to their rooms. Their luggage is still there. The police don’t have much information. – Nyssa gave Sara the files with the pictures of the women while she was drying her sweat with a towel. – They are not the first white blond women who disappear in these areas. In the records there are couple of more cases in the last months where the police never found what happened.  
• Investigating this can help us deal with out primary task, all the mafia are connected – Nyssa explained  
• I wonder why you didn’t brought your girlfriend to this mission – Nyssa threw a glance at Sara surprised but then looked back at the papers answering Why is Sara bringing her now.  
• She is not my girlfriend and her name is Bantira  
• What does it mean?  
• A panther.  
• Oh, so she can eat me in one bite. – Sara smiled - What is her tragic story, how she joined the League?  
• Yes, she can, she is very good warrior, and very passionate of what she is doing. She doesn’t have a tragic story, she joined because she wanted to – at this statement Sara smirked.  
• Yes I’ve noticed that she is very good and passionate  
• Oh – Nyssa looked a little ashamed, not sure what Sara referred.  
• In the training yard – I saw her train, and I admire her skills. Let’s go and investigate the disappearance of the women. I am dressed now – Sara has already put a t-shirt and jeans and placed some stuff at her backpack.  
• She is just a friend – Nyssa wanted to explain – I don’t allow myself to have personal attachments.


	17. Chapter 17

In the hotel they didn’t gave them a lot of information, Nyssa and Sara introduced themselves as private detectives but the staff there said that every white blond woman looked similar so they couldn’t say much of their whereabouts. Sara saw that there was a big bar at the pool and went there to ask. The barman gave the same answer but she saw a flyer about another cocktail bar outside the resort more in the jungle with lady’s night and exotic male dancers.  
• We should go here – she showed the flyer to Nyssa  
• Oh, you miss the crazy party life or what  
• No, to investigate. This place is advertised here and it’s outside of the resort’s security  
• Good thinking, I agree.  
When they came back at the reception a young woman was waiting for them there and very worried and eager to approached them  
• Are you the private detectives? – she asked  
• Yes – they answered simultaneously  
• My sister also disappeared yesterday. The police don’t know anything but she didn’t come back in the hotel last night  
• Do you remember the last time you saw her. What she was doing?  
• She met some guy – an exotic looking charmer who took her out dancing. I didn’t want to go because I was tired and now I am going crazy, I shouldn’t have left her alone – the girl was a little hysterical and very nervous but Sara could understand her pain and her emotions touched her.  
• We will try to find her. Don’t worry. Give me your name and address and the name and picture of your sister. We’ll contact you  
With a lot of thank you the girl gave them the information and Sara and Nyssa left the resort.  
In the evening they went to the cocktail bar Sara suggested. Sara put on a sexy outfit – a leather shorts with a black tank top revealing her shoulders and cleavage with fishnets and leather boots and Nyssa was with a red flurry dress.  
• I guess I didn’t quite get the fashion of this cocktail – Sara frowned when she saw how colorful everyone was. The bar was a wooden structure in the middle of a dancing floor with a lot of color lights and surrounded by the jungle.  
• You look good in everything – Nyssa answered serious – Now concentrate on finding the sexy exotic charmer. You seduce him and I will track you down with the tracker I put on you. This is our best way to find out where the other women are kept. – Sara smiled and the two women separated. She didn’t felt very well with the idea to play a bait to a psychopath but if this meant that she can save the other women she wanted to take the risk. Besides she wasn’t that little scared girl anymore, so she repeated this to herself a lot in her mind. She went to the bar and asked for a drink. Sara has always been good with boys and drinks, she knew how to party and be the center of attention, she was very magnetizing and people liked her and wanted to gravitate around her, she always had a big company of friends. So hitting on a man in a bar wasn’t going to be the difficult part. She remembered the first time she met Oliver – she spilled a drink over him on the party of his best friend Tommy. That was an easy way of making someone noticing you. She took her glass and scanned the place. At the other end of the bar there was a man standing lonely and answering the description of the playboy. She just looked and smiled at him and he was already by her side.  
• Good evening beautiful, how are you doing? You seem lost and out of place  
• I guess – Sara smiled timidly – I thought I am meeting a friend at a rock bar but I guess I got lost and came here  
• Oh, don’t worry, you can have a great time in a latino dancing bar, let me buy you a drink  
After couple of drinks Sara started to feel strange and wacky. She could hold on liquor that’s why she was certain that there was something in the drinks. She noticed that Nyssa was constantly looking at her and felt safe.  
• You don’t look very well – the man suggested – Do you want me to take you back to your hotel – Sara looked startled but she swallowed her fear, she had to take the next step  
• Yeh, sure  
He took her in his car and they took off. Sara tried to look at where they were going but they took some dark road across the jungle and she couldn’t hold her eyes open any longer, after not long she passed out. She woke up from couple of kicks at her ribs and she tried to jump but she realized she has been tied, her legs and hands with a rope. She looked around, there was a man standing above her wearing a mask. She was in a wooden barn and saw other women tied next to her who looked asleep.  
• Hey, beauty, sorry but your charming boyfriend is not here anymore. Now if you want to stay alive you have to tell me about your address and relatives who will pay for your freedom. If they love you enough nothing bad will happen to you.  
Sara was trying to investigate the place where she was while he was talking. She knew that Nyssa is probably here and tried to calm herself.  
• My passport is in my purse. I’ll tell you everything you want to know, just don’t hurt me – she cried  
The man was pleased and walked away. Sara pushed her tied hand at her back through her legs and managed to get them in front, then she freed her legs and got close to the other woman. She woke her up and was relieved that she was alive  
• Shhh, don’t worry I am a friend. I will help you to get out of here – the woman didn’t look very reassured though. Sara found a broken piece of wood and started to try to free her hands too. She managed to loosen the rope and released her hands. At that moment 2 man entered the place and she hid her hands behind her back. They looked very angry.  
• It seems that your father doesn’t love you very much sweetheart – they turned towards the woman – He doesn’t want to pay and he hired some private detectives – one of the men said  
• This doesn’t give us much choice, does it – the man with the scar said and took a knife out of his pocket, grabbed the woman at her hair and put the knife at her throat. – Now you gonna see what will happen to you if your relatives don’t behave  
Sara didn’t give him a chance to finish, she grabbed his hand with the knife and pressed a muscle there, pushed the woman on the side, punched him at his split and twisted his arm to take the knife. At that moment the other managed to take out his gun and pointed it at her and then the other woman  
• Throw the knife or I will kill her – he yelled. – Sara was standing on her feet now and the other man she kicked already got up too trying to hold on his breath  
• Bitch – she kicked me in my ribs  
• Ok, I am sorry – she threw the knife and started to approach the men with the gun. He didn’t saw her as a threat and also got near her and pointed more his gun at her  
• On the ground bitch – she grabbed the gun he shot in the air but she punched him on the nose with her elbow and shot the other one in the chests while the other man still holding the gun. He wasn’t letting go and also punched her hard, she let go of his hand from the pain and he shot at her but she turned on the ground and he missed her. Sara kicked him on the knee took the knife from the ground and threw it at him. He was down.  
She went to see how was the other woman and besides her being in complete shock, she was ok. She made her follow her and they both left the barn carefully looking around. The gun shots make enough noise to attract the others from the gang and now they were surrounded. They hit behind some barrels but the men were approaching with rifles telling them to get out. At this point Sara felt really cornered and started to panic. Everything so far was a pure luck but she couldn’t handle so many at once and the woman next to her was a complete wreck and all in tears. At this moment Nyssa showed up, wearing her League clothes – dark red leather trousers and a jacket matching them with a hoodie and a silk scarf covering her face. She took out her sword and started to cut the armed men one by one. Sara felt relieved and hypnotized by Nyssa’s power. But then she decided to joined the fight, took one of the rifles lying on the ground and started to use it as stick to knock the opponents down. Nyssa smiled at her with approval. Sara managed to take down the rest of them and they both looked around in a field of lying bodies.  
• That was a good team work. You should train more with a bo staff – Sara looked at the rifle and smiled – Come on let’s go. I found out from their documents where they took the other women.  
They took one of the car and proceeded towards the city. Left the woman at the near police station and instructed her not to mention anything about them. She was scared enough but grateful and agreed to everything they told her to say.  
• I know where is the meeting point where part of the gang took the Stones to receive the bribe from their son – Nyssa said when they were alone in the car.  
When they approached the destination the events that took place showed that they were late for the meeting. A man with blond hair was lying on his face on the dirt and an older woman was crying over him while two men were trying to tear the young woman apart. The older woman was crying to let her go but wasn’t doing anything to help her why she was fighting but losing the fight. Both Sara and Nyssa jumped out of the car unnoticed since everyone was very occupied and run to the rescue of the woman. Nyssa grabbed the man from the left side and Sara the other man. They were surprised at the attack and looked at them startled but them amused that they saw two more women. The smile on their faces disappeared quickly when Sara and Nyssa kicked them on their knuckles on the ankle, then in the crotch, both of them took a knife out and stabbed them in the stomach and when they fell to their knees they cut their throats. Very brutal but effective and Sara was repeating what Nyssa was doing without hesitation. The young woman joined her mother above the body of the young man.  
• He is dead, she cried, they killed him  
• I’m so sorry mom, I am so sorry  
Nyssa approached them and half hugged the woman  
• You will be all right, you have to call the police. There is a radio station in the car  
• Thank you, you and your friend saved me. I don’t know what to say  
• No need of that, just when the police asks you what happened tell them that 2 men dressed in black and with masks came and attacked these one. You can say you saw the one having a tattoo on his wrist of a snake.  
• Ok, ok – the woman agreed  
Sara was standing on the side still at shock of what happened trying to gather her thoughts.


	18. Chapter 18

Back at the hotel she took a long shower and then examined her face for a while in the mirror. Her look was changing, her eyes were different now, not this young and naive anymore. She already has seen a lot of suffering and caused some herself. She wasn’t seeing that little girl face anymore, right now it was the one of the young woman who was about to be raped in front of her mother unable to do anything. This made her really angry she imagined how she slits the man’s throat again and again but this didn’t give her a satisfaction but made her submerge in to dark thoughts. The women were safe at the police station and she used her training at the league to save them and this gave her confidence.  
In the morning Nyssa knocked on the door and entered even though she didn’t heard an answer and found Sara lying in her bed with her eyes opened starring at the ceiling.  
• Come on Ta-er al-Sahfer, we have to go, I found the whereabouts of the drug lords from the documents I took from out kidnapers so I have information how we can proceed.  
• I’m not in condition. Can we just stay in bed and relax today. – Nyssa sight and sat next to her in the bed  
• I know how you feel, I felt the same. Last few days was too much for you.  
• Now I started to think I was wrong about Nanda Parbat and want to go back there to just training. At least you don’t see people hurting innocent ones.  
• I had the same break down. When I was fourteen my father sent me to my first mission. – Sara stared at Nyssa with a big interest and shock – I was undercover, sold to a rich businessmen, who I had to kill, as a wife. When he took me to his room I witnessed how he started to molest his other wife and he was telling me that I was going to be the next. At first I was paralyzed and couldn’t move, just watched his cruelty towards the woman, she wasn’t even protesting so I couldn’t figure out whether this was normal or not. But when the things got really out of hand I switched and took out my knife. My mission was to kill him unnoticed but I wanted him to see my face so I warned him of the attack. He turned around and grabbed my hand preventing my blow. At first I didn’t know what to do, he grinned at me at hit me with the back of his hand in which he had a giant ring so he gave me this scar – Nyssa pulled off her blouse and revealed more of her neck and shoulder which was scarred with a line starting from the base of the neck to the bone oh her shoulder. Sara put a finger on it and touched it gently. - But then I bit his hand hard he let mine go and I stabbed him a couple of times. The woman helped me escape. – Nyssa made a pause and sighted – Later I found out that she was killed because she was accused of killing him. I got really depressed, didn’t wanted to leave my room and talk to anyone. My father was really worried.  
• So what did he do – Sara was looking at Nyssa with big concern and very tender.  
• He locked me in the cellar and started to feed me with mushrooms  
• Very great method of education – Sara smiled ironically – I am so sorry you had to go through this Nyssa  
• I’m not. It made me stronger. Now nothing can get through me  
• So what you are going to lock me up and give me mushrooms now  
• No – Nyssa smiled – I feel like you and I have a great communication without that. Besides I hate to see you suffer – Sara smiled  
• Thank you for sharing this with me. I like to know more about you.  
• We will have a lot more time in the jungle and the pleasure to take down a couple of drug lords. Do you know how many people die from drugs? – Nyssa looked at her with a challenge  
• That’s great motivation speech. I’ll be ready in a moment.  
• My father made me kill men from the age of twelve. He wanted to teach me to value human life less and the power to take it more – with these word Nyssa left the room  
Sara couldn’t stop thinking about Nyssa during the way to their next destination. She stopped being such a mystery for her but more as a human. Nyssa didn’t had a tragic story with which she joined the League. She was raised here, her father was the Demon and she was at peace with the mindset that she was doing great things. Even though Sara couldn’t shake of the bad feeling that they are killing people, she started to understand Nyssa and feel her close. She was still that powerful beautiful creature but a lot more relatable.  
• According to the police reports the men who attacked the kidnapping party were from the drug organization that we are going to destroy by killing their leader Pedro Ramirez. - Nyssa gave Sara a file with his picture and profile. The men was in his later thirties, handsome and very charming from what it looked from the photo. In the profile it said he knows multiple languages and finished university with coarse chemistry. Sara just smirked, so good from the outside and so dirty from inside. The police try to track him and his organization for years but without success. They still haven’t found where they grow their cocaine and how they transport it outside of country. – In the documents I’ve found in the base of our kidnappers there were invitations for a party at the mansion of some local businessmen. I’m pretty sure that out man will be there. The mission is to infiltrate the party find Pedro and put a tracker on him. Our undercover personas are of two business ladies who want to buy from his stock. – They stopped at a small gas station and Nyssa put a bag in Sara’s hands. – Here dress up with this.  
Sara went in to the toilets and found in the bag a black shiny dress with bare shoulders and v-shaped cleavage but with covered back. She put it on and started to paint her face with make up. The feeling of the dress and her expression in the mirror made her feel strange. She wasn’t one of those types that like to dress up girly all the time, she liked more androgynous tomboy sexy and always relied on her natural beauty, but she knew how to make herself look like a heart breaker if the occasion demands it and she liked it. When she came out of the toilet she saw Nyssa also ready dressed up in a smart pen suit with trousers on stripes and a mini tie.  
• Wow – Nyssa exclaimed. – You look amazing – Sara smiled  
• You look amazing too. So don’t you think we need more back up if we are going to take down a whole mobster organization.  
• We just have to kill the leader. We don’t need more men for this. Come on gorgeous let’s go  
They arrived at the party at the same time as other people and entered without a problem. The house was big with a parting in front and a enormous plot at the back with a vast room where people were dancing to the music of a dj. Waiters were circling around and Sara took a glass with whiskey.  
• Oh, I’ve missed alcohol. – she drank it really fast and took another one. Nyssa just looked at her in amusement.  
• Come on let’s dance – she offered her hand, Sara took it and Nyssa embraced her and put her hands around her waist. She got really close so she can smell her perfume behind her ear and touch her hair with her face and whispered – Tell me something more about you. What was the most crazy thing you did on a party. – Sara shivered from the nice sensation on Nyssa’s breath on her neck.  
• Well, I don’t know. Let me think – she contemplated a little and continued. – When I was n last grade I was at a party in a friend house and we smoked joint and then I decided to impress the others and started to walk on the fence of the balcony but I lost balance and ended up falling from 2 storage height to a bush of boxwood. The poor shrub still has this shape of my ass – Sara was laughing out loud to the memory and Nyssa was smiling deeply. They were dancing to a more slow tender but still sexy latino music and Nyssa was putting her hands all over Sara’s back caressing it. A man approached them  
• Hey ladies, I don’t remember meeting you – he said very exuberantly – they turned around they saw their target who was smiling at them  
• Oh – Nyssa answered – I am Maria and this is my girlfriend Miranda  
• Girlfriend, cool, I hope you like to share because I would love to have you both in a threesome – and he put his hands on their waists. Sara froze, now she didn’t knew what to say and how to react. She didn’t wanted to make a scene but she didn’t liked what was happening.  
• That’s cool – Nyssa answered still keeping her cool exterior and with a big fake smile – Why not, and what we will get from this  
• I have a lot of good stuff, you will like them. My name is Pedro Ramirez – now he offered his hand for a hand shake  
• Nice to meet you Pedro – Nyssa kissed him on the cheek 3 times like a greeting – I’ve heard a lot about you from my friend Nico. He also told be you have very good stuff and I would love to buy from it. – Now the man was even more intrigued and his smile widened.  
• Beautiful and dangerous, I love that. Come follow me to a room and I’ll show you what I have.  
They entered a room on the second floor with a big bed in the middle and a table with comfortable sofa. Pedro took out of his pocket a small package with white powder and spilled it on the table.  
• Is that all that you have – Nyssa protested. I want to buy big amount for my client.  
• Why don’t you try this and then we’ll talk how much you want  
• I want 10 kg, I have money – and she spread in his face wad of money – he looked at the money and tried to get them but Nyssa put them back in her pocket of her jacket.  
• I have to go and get it. Tomorrow. Now don’t you want to try the coca – he insisted  
• I will have some – Sara interrupted and snorted a line – Cool – she shook her head – That was good, really good.  
• You see I told you, I have the best things – Now you – and he pointed to Nyssa but she started to unbutton his shirt and to lick him on the neck. Sara also joined and they got him naked in no time, which revealed very athletic body and muscles. Nyssa jumped over him on the bed and pressed a vein on his neck while kissing him on the chests and he fainted.  
• What did you do to him – Sara panicked – Ok, I am exuberant because of the coca. Now what, should we kill him  
• No, we can’t. We left a lot of evidence here and the place is crowded with security. And he has to lead us to the place where they grew the coca. I put a tracker on him. Give me your pants  
• What?!  
• Come on, he has to think he made sex with us when he wakes up in the morning and just go to get us the coca. – Sara obeyed, she pulled off her panties and Nyssa took them, put them on the bed next to the sleeping man with a note which had an address. – Let’s go. – They jumped out of the window and escaped the party with Sara quietly giggling how she doesn’t have panties and hugging Nyssa like a bro telling her how great team they are.


	19. Chapter 19

In the morning their target started to move and left the house so Nyssa and Sara jumped in the car ready to follow him. They left the city and took a side road that led them directly in the jungle. The big trees and shrubs were making the narrow road look even smaller, they couldn’t drive fast and Nyssa pulled off the windows of the car so the humid hot air got inside and made Sara’s skin sticky from the sweat. Her face was covered with freckles even more visible on the sun. Sara wore her dark League attire – long pants and a shirt with a jacket and has put her hair on braids.  
• These bugs are killing me – she complained. – Nyssa didn’t even looked at her  
• Honestly I am not thinking about the bugs right now  
• What are you thinking about  
• You don’t want to know – Nyssa looked at her with a seductive smile.  
They hit something on the road and they both glanced through the window, the car shook and stopped. They jumped out of it and saw a booby trap of nails. The car has a flat tire.  
• Fuck – Nyssa shouted – We continue on foot. Take your stuff. But we will leave the road  
They continued through the jungle pushing leaves and branches out of their way. Sara was looking around very careful where she steps with doubled attention.  
• We can collect some poison – she pointed out at a snake she saw – maybe we will need it.  
She took a vial and cautiously caught the snake and extracted the poison from her fangs. Nyssa was looking at her.  
• That’s why I took you with me in the jungle.  
They walked through the whole day and when the sun started to get down Sara felt relieved that the heat is over.  
• It’s not safe to sleep on the ground. We’ll make our tents as hammocks on the trees.  
They spent the night and continued the next day. Nyssa said that they have to be vary silent and try to mingle with the jungle so they would be unnoticeable. At down they reached the destination where the tracker showed Pedro to be. It was already dark but they had their night vision glasses. The jungle finished and there was a field with crops of coca. Sara and Nyssa hid behind the last bushes and observed. Couple of kids were gathering the last baskets with the vegetation and leaving the field.  
• They are using child labor. That’s awful. We have to do something. Save them.  
• No, these kids are not in danger – Nyssa started to make pictures. They probably live in the village near by and don’t have any other work.  
• So what, making kids growing coca is a good think – Sara sounded disgusted.  
• We will just take the pictures and then continue to follow Pedro until there is a good chance to kill him  
A man with a rifle hit one of the kids on the head with the back of his gun and the kid screamed. Both women jumped, Sara made some moves forward and stepped on a branch that activated an alarm, Nyssa tried to stopped her move but too late. They turned around and they were already surrounded by soldiers with guns. They hit them and they lost consequences. When Sara came back to her senses she realized her hands were tied hanging from beam on the ceiling and Nyssa was next to her. They have stripped them just on their tank tops and trousers and immediately when the man guarding her saw that she is awake hit her with his rifle. He was with dark hair and a massive scar on his face.  
• The beauties are awake – he shouted and Pedro entered. Sara looked around. Nyssa also opened her eyes but while she was trying frantically to try to free her hands, Nyssa was standing still and really calm. They were in another bar and she could count the steps of at least 10 men outside.  
• So so, I was about to take your order miss Maria, but you decided to rob me. I’m very disappointed. You took out all the pleasure I had with you some nights ago.  
• This is some kind of misunderstanding – Sara spoke – We didn’t tried to rob you. We got lost. This jungle is so confusing – her voice was trembling and she got all sweaty from tension.  
• Oooo, is that right – Pedro said with irony in his voice – poor blondie, she got lost – he hit her on the face with a fist – I don’t believe you. Who do you work for? Who is your client?  
• No one important, look we just wanted to by some coca for parties – Sara spit some blood and continued the negotiation. – Pedro didn’t liked that answer either and started to hit her over and over and the guard with the scar on his face joined too.  
• Enough – Nyssa shouted and the men stopped abusing Sara’s helpless body with punches. – I’ll tell you all about our client. Why don’t you take me to the other room so we can have some privacy and enjoy our company again. – she was looking at him with confidence and a little smirk on her face. He approached her got really close, smelled her and then again looked at her  
• Fine, you and I will have some fun and then I’ll continue with your girlfriend. – Pedro untied her hands  
• If you hurt her I’ll cut your eyes and feed them to you – Nyssa threaten him but he just smiled and took her to the other room of the barn. Sara looked after them in utter panic screaming nooo but without effect. The man with the scar started to look at Sara with appetite and got even more joy when Nyssa’s screams filled the air. Sara’s heart sunk and she closed her eyes. She couldn’t even imagine what was going on in the other room and didn’t wanted, and why was Nyssa screaming. She wanted to tear the beam and the rope and jump to the rescue but couldn’t, at this moment she imagined how she kills Pedro with her knife over and over making him to little pieces of meat. The screams stopped and it got awfully silent.  
Nyssa followed Pedro in the other room dragged by him and closed the door with her leg.  
• Oh, you don’t want your girlfriend to see what I am going to do to you.  
• Yes, that’s right – with that words she jumped and caught the beam over her head wrapped her legs around his neck squeezing him. He started to struggle and to create a noise but Nyssa silenced them with her screaming.  
Pedro was suffocating and trying to free himself from her grip but her legs were very strong. They fell on the ground, he was hitting her on her thigh but she wasn’t responsive to pain and didn’t loosen the grip. Finally he was out and she got up. Checked his pulse and saw that he was dead. She heard some man calling from outside and the man guarding Sara left the barn, That’s when she came in and saw Sara sullen limp with closed eyes and from her face was dripping liquid that she couldn’t identify whether it was tears or a sweat. She touched her face with her whole palm and Sara shivered and jumped, she saw Nyssa’s face in front of her and her whole existence willed with relieve and joy, she opened her mouth to say soothing but Nyssa put her finger on her lips and cut her hands free. They looked through the door and saw that the guards had left the barn, there were only two of them. Nyssa gave Sara the knife and attacked the one on the left. Jumped in his neck, grabbed him with both hands and broke him. Sara simultaneously stabbed the other in the back.  
• Pedro is dead – Nyssa whispered – We can go  
• What about the kids – Sara glanced toward the field where there was some gathering and the other mobsters were discussing something.  
• The kids live here Sara, there is no where to hide them. Once the organization is down they would be free. – Sara nodded  
They sneaked in through the back of the barn and run toward some bushes in the jungle which surrounded the place. This time they weren’t thinking so much where they step but just proceeded their way through the thick vegetation. They thought they almost escaped when they stumbled upon one guard protecting the perimeter. The man didn’t even warned and shot at them. Nyssa pushed Sara behind her and the bullets hit her, she fall on the ground at Sara’s arms,  
• Nooo- Sara shouted. The man turned to shoot at her but she threw her knife right in to his heart. Sara embraces Nyssa and checked her, the bullet had pierced her shoulder far enough from her heart but she was bleeding heavily. – You will be alright, Sara tore a piece from her tank top and bandaged Nyssa’s shoulder. – Can you get up. We have to move. More can come  
Nyssa struggled to get on her feet and Sara helped her. She hold her under her arm and they proceeded further. Another men came after them in the jungle though and started to follow them. The women could hear their footsteps getting closer and their chatter. Sara tried to walk faster but with Nyssa it was difficult.  
• Leave me – Nyssa demanded – I’m slowing you down and if they catch us they will kill us both. I will slow them down and you can escape.  
• No, Nyssa, I am not leaving you – Sara said firmly. She looked around looking for a sign for plan how to escape and heard a rumble of a stream nearby. – Come, we will follow the river.  
They turned in to the direction of the river and got in to the water which was shallow with a lot of rocks. In one of the side the shore was high and there was hollow inside. Sara put Nyssa inside and squeezed with her. The earth was warm but wet and Sara just prayed that Nyssa can survive this. She sneaked out of the hollow and saw there wasn’t anyone near, she came out and walked around. Not very far she saw a tree with fruits fallen on the ground. She collected some but then terrified she heard that some one was approaching. They were two men. She took the poison she hid in her boots and spread it on the rest of the fruits and hide behind the bushes. The men came saw some footsteps and kneeled to look for more clues. As she hoped they both took a fruit and ate it. The poison hit them and they fell on the ground. She took their guns and jackets and returned to Nyssa.  
She was loosing consciousness and Sara gave her the fruits.  
• Why are you doing this Ta-er al-Sahfer? You don’t have to. You can leave me and get your chance of your freedom.  
• You know that is not possible. You showed me by making me kill that man Suarez. But either way, I am not leaving you.  
Sara put one of the jackets below Nyssa and covered her with the other. She noticed that the wound continues to bleed and knew she had to do something. On the ship she learned medical skills and she still had her first medical set hidden in her league pants. In one of the jackets she found a flask with whiskey so she was good to give it a try. She revealed Nyssa shoulder and gave her to drink from the burning liquid then poured a little on the open wound. Nyssa bite her lips and didn’t gave a sound. Sara knew she can’t start a fire but she had to disinfect the needle so she gathered some leaves and small branches and used the gun powder form a bullet to start a small fire. Then she put the needle in the spirt and then in the fire and started to sew the wound. Nyssa was calm and relaxed.  
• How can you not even squint when I do this?  
• Me and pain had an understanding a long time ago.  
Sara finished and then put a little more whiskey and fresh bandages and covered Nyssa again.  
• Here, in my medical opinion, you will survive – Sara tried to smile  
• My father won’t even give a damn you know, if I die or not. I may be the Heir but he won’t even shed a tear for me.  
• I don’t think so, I think he cares for you  
• Why would you say that  
• I don’t know, every father cares for their children.  
• Mine don’t. He doesn’t give a shit to what I’m doing. He may not care if I sleep with women and me being a lesbian but when the time comes he will force his will on me in the same way he did with my mother and he will ruin my life. No one gives a shit about me  
• I do – Sara was looking at her in the eyes and caressed her hair  
• Why would you? I brought you here to this moment  
• I don’t regret this moment. And you saved me, you gave me a second chance, if it wasn’t for you I would have died on that island. That means something. – Nyssa smiled and touched her hand.  
• Thank you for taking care of me  
Sara drank another sip from the whiskey and crawled under the jacket and hugged Nyssa to keep her warm. The night was long and cold and Nyssa couldn’t sleep, she was thinking about so many things but mainly about Sara, who was a bundle of warmth and tenderness all over her, sleeping like a little kid. Nyssa knew that Sara should stay awake and keep a watch, but she didn’t had a heart to wake her up. It was so pleasant to cuddle with her and feel her breath on her neck. Finally at dawn she managed to fall asleep. Sara woke from some noise and jumped startled. It was just a small animal and she exhaled relaxed. She turned to Nyssa and saw her sleeping. She checked the perimeter and didn’t found anyone.  
• Nyssa wake up we have to go - Nyssa wasn’t opening her eyes – Nyssa come on – she shook her up – Oh what is happening – Sara was worried, Nyssa wasn’t opening her eyes. She checked her pulse and noticed how cold her skin is, couldn’t feel the pulse and got in panic. – Nyssa please – she cried and kissed her really tenderly on the lips. Sara’s lips touched Nyssa’s, stayed there for a while like she was tasting her and feeling her breath and then she felt Nyssa moving a little and pulled off. – Nyssa  
• What is the whole fuss about – she smiled – I just fell asleep – Sara was smiling and was about to get up when Nyssa kissed her herself. She took her head in her hands, lowered her closely and wrapped her lips around Sara’s, then she kissed her again more passionately and put her tongue inside her mouth and Sara answered to the kiss by biting Nyssa’s lower lip and smooching her juices. They looked at each other with passion and devilish smiles of satisfaction and Nyssa got up – I am ready, I have the strength now.


	20. Chapter 20

After 2 weeks Nyssa and Sara were back at the Nanda Parbat and a party of couple of the bigger superiors in the League were waiting for them. They entered the round hall and the men stopped whispering and looked at them directly  
• We were waiting for you Nyssa Al Ghul. What took you so long – the man standing in front of all the others spoke  
• The mission is successfully accomplished. Pedro Ramirez is dead and I gave our client the position of his coca fields  
• You are two weeks late – the man protested  
• There were just some minor hick ups that delayed us  
• I heard otherwise – the voice of Ra’s Al Ghul came from behind and they all turned around to face him. Sara shivered a little from the coldness coming from his tones. – You got captured and risked exposure, things didn’t go according to the plan  
• The plan changed according to the situations father – Nyssa’s voice was as cold and as calm as his.  
• According to you screwing up, you mean – Ra’s continued  
• We just … - Nyssa tried to give explanation but was interrupted  
• It was my fault – Sara cut in. Nyssa made her a sign with her eyes to shut up but Sara didn’t obey – I stepped on a branch and gave up our position. I guess I need more training  
Ra’s Al Ghul circled the room looked at Sara and then Nyssa, Sara couldn’t even look him in the eyes while Nyssa boldly looked at him and stopped in the middle.  
• Very well, it’s good Ta-er al-Sahfer that you admit your mistakes, but still Nyssa will receive her punishment for failing the mission and choosing someone not so prepared for it.  
• But, no – Sara protested but Nyssa interrupted her this time  
• I will gladly receive my punishment father – he left the room and Nyssa was guarded out, leaving Sara standing there alone.  
After 3 hours of sitting alone in her room and worrying, trying to calm herself down a woman came to escort Sara to Nyssa’s room. Sara entered slowly and saw Nyssa lying on her front on the bed. She was half naked and her back was covered with some cream which looked like mud and leaves on top of it. Sara looked at her with remorse and concern. She got closer when Nyssa tapped her bed and sat next to her.  
• I am so sorry Nyssa. It’s my fault. I don’t understand why he did that to you  
• He likes to show his power over me but I don’t mind pain. He will never get my freedom.  
Nyssa turned around and truss on her elbow and looked at Sara. Her chest was bare naked and the sheet fell down revealing her whole front. Sara looked at her with a tender eyes and caressed her with her hand slowly tracing with her fingers the curves of the breasts and her tummy. Nyssa touched her chin and got her head near her again and locked her lips with hers. She caressed her hair and started to kiss her neck going slowly down the neck line which gave Sara a nice tickling sensation which run through her whole body.  
• Too many clothes – she protested – Loose them  
• Aren’t you hurt – Sara looked at her amused  
• You want to cure me right  
Sara obeyed and took her whole clothes at once and laid next to Nyssa. She grabbed her and put her under her body.  
• Have you been with a woman before Ta-er al-Sahfer? – Nyssa said slowly  
• I kissed girl once, does this count  
• I will show you  
With this words she kissed her again passionately with a lot of saliva and settled her legs between Sara’s so her whole body was entangled with hers, her breasts were touching hers and her tummy was pressed in hers feeling the warmth of her body. She started to move her body slowly up and down and kissing her neck while tenderly caressing her breasts with one hand and with the other her thigh. Sara was caressing her arms and hair and bottom and returning the kisses which made ecstasy flow through her whole body like an energy current that was recharging her. Nyssa was kissing and licking Sara everywhere and Sara was repeating the moves with a big attention, they both covered in sweat and saliva and couldn’t get enough of touching their bodies. Sara was letting go of sweet groans and moans with her tender voice and Nyssa was biting her lips totally in orgasm seeing the pleasure which consumed Sara’s whole being. Sara stayed the night in Nyssa’s bedroom and fell asleep like a baby on the big bed with dark silky sheets. Nyssa cuddled with her lying on her stomach embracing Sara’s arms while she slept on her back. In the morning Nyssa’s servant brought them breakfast in bed, in Sara’s surprise Nyssa didn’t had better food than the others but Nyssa thought Sara was worried because of the woman and reassured her that she is loyal to her. They devoured their food and Nyssa rushed Sara for training.  
The training was getting more difficult and intense with every day. Nyssa was training Sara in her own special team and she was pushing her to her limits and making her give her best. After the training Sara was leaving the exercise rooms with more bruises and cuts than after her first missions.  
• There is no point in leaving thigs to chance and expecting that fate can be nice to you. You have to be prepared for everything. A lot of organizations don’t take prisoners and the League don’t tolerate if someone gets captured. Every League member carries a vial with snake poison in case they got captured and interrogated, they should get the poison so they won’t reveal anything with torture. So I don’t want any of you to get in to this position.  
Nyssa was pushing hard her team so they will understand the hard training. Bantira was also in the team, she was already very well trained and Sara was the youngest. Nyssa wasn’t giving her a rest and pushing her the most. They trained with sword, knifes, bow and arrows and Sara was training with a bo staff and truncheons. She trained several martial arts styles: taekwondo, wushu and Muay Thai and was getting better and more confident.  
One day Nyssa took Sara alone in the forest to train her in natural field and left Bantira in charge. The training began as usual and Nyssa was fighting Sara without mercy. In no time she was on top of her. Sara smiled, feeling Nyssa’s whole weight on top of her and kissed her.  
• I like having you on top of me  
• Don’t change the subject, Ta-er al-Sahfer. – But Sara kissed her again Nyssa lost control and Sara rolled over her.  
• I like this subject – Sara replied laughing seductively and continued to kiss her and undress her. Nyssa gave in and let Sara get her naked and kiss her whole body with tender to passionate caresses. After she made her a whole body erotic massage she thrust her head between Nyssa’s legs and started to lick her. Nyssa exploded with pleasurable agony and started to move her body in the rhythm of Sara’s kisses. When she reached orgasm she screamed laud and the sound filled the air in the forest. – That was a really nice training Sara smiled and licked her lips. Nyssa was lying on her back in a total relaxation just smiling and watching the sky. Sara cuddled next to her and she hugged her and started to play with her hair. Then she got up and put her underneath her and started to kiss her every where. They got back to the others really late.  
On the next day the training was intensive again, Sara has totally forgotten what pain and fatigue is. Bantira volunteered to fight against Sara and started aggressively to attack her.  
• I know what you are doing  
• I don’t know what you are talking about – Sara stammered  
• I see how you look at her. Don’t play innocent  
• So now you want to destroy me out of some jealousy?  
• I am just warning you. I don’t have time for feelings and attachments so does Nyssa. And you have your heart on your sleeve.  
• Thanks for the notice. I’ll try to be ambiguous with my emotions.


	21. Chapter 21

The time when they called Sara for her next mission felt like ages and she couldn’t be more enthusiastic. At one point she remembered that the last few didn’t end up well and they were connected with real fight and danger in which people were dying but then this meant she can leave the castle for a while and experience something new, visit different place. This time the mission took them to Japan and was lead again by Nyssa. The target was a Chinese diplomat who had a visit in Tokyo. He had organized visit to one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens where he would participate in a tea ceremony and that was the chosen moment for attack. This time the operation required more League soldiers since the diplomat had security guards who would be with him through the whole time. The undercover personas were for international students of taekwondo who practice in the garden. The diplomat and his bodyguards passed next to the herd dressed in white kimonos and admired their training routine. When he was far away the band dispersed and every one found a hiding place. It was spring and the cherry trees had just blossomed. Sara hid behind one of them and observed the scenery of green meadow covered with trees sprinkled with pink gentle flowers who made big clouds of fluffy textures. The petals were falling on the ground like pink – white snow and flying in the air filling it with sweet scent. Everything looked really beautiful and tender which filled her soul with peace and calmness. The garden had a specific positive energy and was the moment of rebirth after winter, all the colors were saturated and it smelled of fresh grass and flowers. Sara looked around again, behind every tree there was one League soldier hiding getting ready for attack. She knew exactly where Nyssa is and was waiting for her sign. The diplomat entered the tea house and the guards remained outside. They weren’t far away and Nyssa gave a sign for everyone to get closer to them. Sara chose another tree and with few steps she found herself behind it. The guards were looking the perimeter, but couldn’t see the approaching soldiers in white. They put white cloths around their heads to cover their faces so only their eyes were visible. Nyssa gave the sign, that everyone was expecting, Sara took her sword out hidden behind her back and swirled it. She approached the guard most near her and slaughter him behind his back, he didn’t make any sound, she proceeded further and felled the next one with few swoops of her sword, all the others had attacked the rest and one by one the guards were down. Nyssa entered the tea house and stabbed the diplomat in the back in front of the terrified woman leading the ceremony who couldn’t even move. She got outside and looked at her band. There wasn’t anyone else except them and the lying bodies of the dead bodyguards scattered on the ground.  
• Good work – she said approaching Sara. Sara smiled, her white kimono was covered with red marks and stains from the blood and she cleaned her face which had a big red line across it. – Let’s get out of here as quick as possible.  
The men dispersed in different directions and Nyssa who was rather slow pushed Sara aside and hid in some bushes near a ticker forest of cherry trees. She kissed her passionately a few times and smiled.  
• When else we are going to be in such a romantic place – Sara smiled and kissed her again.  
• I never knew you are a romantic person, Miss Heir to the Demon.  
They lay on the ground among fallen cherry petals and covered themselves with more.  
The next mission was after a month and took them to Paris. This time they had to kill Paul Bisset – an international assassin and spy who has taken down a lot of important figures and sold a lot of information.  
• It’s not going to be easy – Nyssa explained – We have to be better than him and find where he is hiding. He managed to outsmart Interpol and the French British and German intelligence. From the latest resources he is hiding in Paris so me, Ta-er al-Sahfer and Bantira will go first for reconnaissance We will keep in touch with our base for back up if needed. Get ready – Nyssa gave them new fake passports and left. Sara and Bantira looked at each other with disapproval.  
• Don’t worry I am not going to steal your game – Bantira said leaving the room pushing at Sara – I just don’t like you  
• Why, what is your problem – Sara followed her looking at her new identity, a British student of art – Great now I have to train my British accent  
• You are a trouble maker and don’t follow the rules. You’ll get is in trouble – she pushed her again and passed by her.  
Sara has never been to Paris before. Actually except Mexico for a summer vacation she hasn’t been any where outside the USA before and now she was travelling the world. They accommodated in a small apartment in a building outside of the center and everyone had a separate room. Sara had to find a job at the local bar where according to information Paul visited before. Bantira as a journalist in an investigative newspaper who wrote some articles about Paul’s victims and Nyssa in the police as a detective transferred from Interpol to work on the case of Bisset. All of them had good cover identities done by the League’s hackers and there wasn’t a problem. Sara and Nyssa spent their free day sightseeing around museum and galleries and took a boat trip in Siene. Nyssa was against it first, she thought that this will distract them too much but Sara worked her way to make her in the mood. She felt really care free and relaxed and guilty at the same time. She thought it’s bad to feel happy when her family thinks she is dead and when she kills people, because they tell her to, but she couldn’t helped it. She took Nyssa’s hand and felt the comfort that it’s ok to feel good. In the night they had a fancy dinner in a luxury restaurant. The League had a lot of money so Nyssa could afford it and wanted to spoil Sara. In the next day Sara put on ordinary clothes and went to the bar.  
• I’m the new bar tender – she said to one of the waitresses  
• Here – she threw some clothes to her – wear this and clean the bar.  
Sara went to the restrooms and changed. The barman uniform was a black leather corset with sorts and fishnets. “Amazing” – Sara liked it immediately, it was just her style. She got behind the bar and started to clean the bar plot and the glasses. Arround 21 people started to come but none of them looked like Paul. She probably had to spent a lot of time in this bar until this guy shows up. She noticed something else though, two men bothering one of the waitress. When the bar closed around 4 o’clock Sara tried to ask her, who they were and are they bothering her, but she diverted the question. When she got back she sneaked in to Nyssa’s room and got in her bed, Nyssa jumped over her startled and put a knife on her throat.  
• Nyssa, it’s me – Sara looked frightened  
• What are you doing here, who told you you can come in  
• I just finished work and though…  
• We are not on a honeymoon, we have work to do, get out – Nyssa’s voice was strict and harsh and didn’t allowed opposition  
Sara got out and saw Bantira watching her in the corridor  
• What are you doing here, why don’t you sleep?  
• She chased you, didn’t she – Bantira was smiling satisfied  
• We are keeping it professional  
• Of course you are, if you fail the mission I’ll report you  
On the next day the same men came in Sara’s bar again and troubled another waitress, she also refused to say to Sara why. The spy didn’t show up. But Sara easily made friends with most of the regulars and the staff, she was friendly and smiling to everyone and they got used to her awful but accurate British accent. The bar was near the airport so most of the clients were international, so no one was bothered that Sara didn’t spoke French. But she bought a small phrasebook and started to learn. The waitress didn’t show up the next day and then the day after that, Sara got worried  
• Hey Nicole, where is Francesca? Why she is not at work. I thought it’s her shift  
• I don’t know Simon, I tried to call her but she is not picking up.  
• Shouldn’t we call the police?  
• Oh, I don’t know, maybe she just went away for awhile.  
• Has she done that before  
• Sure  
• Do you know where she lives  
• Here, that’s the address  
The men who troubled the waitress didn’t show up and after work Sara went to the address. The apartment was empty and looked trashed. Sara walked around and found some coca on the floor and a note with a name. She got home and opened her laptop. For the first time in a long time Sara had a laptop and connection with internet. The freedom of typing google in the address bar made her feel great. First thing she did, is search for Starling City her home town and news there. Just the usual things and then she searched her father’s name who was a local police officer. Her family was fine, she even managed to see that Laurel finished university with excellent score and felt very proud of her. She knew she can’t contact them but she didn’t stop missing them. Her eyes filled with tears but she chased them away, there was no point in crying now. Then she searched the name in the note. It belonged to a local dealer that the police put out for search and he was the same man who harassed the waitress. On the next day she followed the other waitress Nicole after work. Nicole still hasn’t called the police and Sara saw that the same man bothered her first too. Nicole didn’t take the bus home but went to a down town apartment in a block. She used the elevator and Sara took the stairs climbing them very fast. She reached just on time when Nicole entered the opened door and saw the dealer behind it. She hid behind the corner and waited till the door closed. Then she got out of the window of the corridor and walked railing till she reached the window of the dealer’s apartment. It was opened a little and Sara could hear them talk.  
• Please give me more time. I don’t have the money now. – she was whining but he squeezed her by the neck angrily  
• I don’t care, I want them by tomorrow night you little bitch or your friend dies. I gave you enough time and I know your friend has money.  
Sara couldn’t understand all the words but she got bitch, money and dies. This wasn’t good. She shivered a little from the cold wind which brought mizzle, it was spring but the night was one of the cold once and she was still wearing her barman outfit, just shorts and a leader corset. “ I have to buy a leather jacket she thought.” The woman left and Sara entered the room through the slightly opened window with a boom. She kicked the man on the chests, but he was strong and just waggled. They started to fight around the apartment, the end Sara demolished him and pressed his head with her boot.  
• Where is the girl, you scumbag  
• I don’t know what you are talking about? Who are you  
• Don’t provoke me just answer my question  
• Please, lady, I don’t know what girl you mean. There is no one here. – now he was whining and Sara got annoyed. If she didn’t think of something this would have been in vain and he already saw her face. She took her knife and pierced his hand. That was the first thing that came to her mind and the man cried in pain.  
• Where is Mary? The waitress  
• Oh, you should have said so. She is in the basement of the block, please don’t hurt me.  
• If you lied to me , you would die a liar – with this words she took the knife out of his hand and slit his throat.  
She stood a little in silence in the apartement contemplating what to do. She saw a set of keys on the desk, probably one of them was for the basement. She could have just free the girl and leave the crime scene but this was France, the police would probably find a lot of evidence from her and she wasn’t very cautious. “ I’m such a niewbie at this, Nyssa would be so pissed”. She took her phone and called her.  
• Where are you? – the voice was even from the other side. It was already 6 in the morning and soon the sun was going to rise.  
• I’ll send you my location. You have to come here as a police officer, say you got an anonymous call about a missing waitress. – Nyssa hung up and Sara’s heart sunk. She got quickly out of the building and it was already light outside. She hid behind the corner and waited for the police. Nyssa came with one car and entered the address. When she saw the body on the floor she already knew what happened.  
• Probably a gang fight, search the place for drugs – she ordered with her usual tone. She saw the set of keys on the desk and took them  
• Should we collect evidences- one of the officers asked  
• No need. It’s clear what happened. I’ll check these keys.  
She descended in the basement and found the girl, freezing and starving, kept there for 4 days now. The police called an ambulance and gave Nyssa the dealer’s phone. They also found a lot of drugs on the place. Nyssa confronted Sara when she got back home. She ordered to Bantira to go out and faced her lover.  
• Why did you have to do this?  
• I know I shouldn’t have and I made some mistakes but I am not regretting them. I know you have to punish me so please do it yourself. I want you to be the one who will cut my skin. – Sara said that with firm but passionate voice  
• I’m not going to punish you Ta-er al-Sahfer  
• If you don’t then Bantira will tell Ra’s and he will punish you  
• Maybe that’s the punishment you deserve, I know this will hurt you more – Sara looked frightened – I see you have feelings for me  
• What about you? – Sara got very close to Nyssa so she can feel her breath – Do you have feelings for me?  
• No – Nyssa answered slowly and turned her look away  
• Prove it – Sara left the room expecting Nyssa to follow her and found Bantira trying to eavesdrop.  
• Nyssa Al Ghul said you have to punish me because I didn’t stuck to the main mission  
• With pleasure – she didn’t even hesitate for a moment took out her knife and cut Sara’s skin in the torso 4 times, she didn’t made deep cuts but enough to make her hurt and bleed. Sara stood in a total surprise and screamed when she made the first cut from shock and pain. Nyssa was still in the other room but heard her squeal, her heart sunk and contracted, she looked down but didn’t move. She saw the phone that belonged to the dealer, someone was calling him, on the screen it said PB. She rushed to find Sara and Bantira and saw Sara all covered in blood in her white tank top just standing there wondering which wound to press.  
• Go clean yourself up – Bantira demanded. There is a needle in the medical kit, you should probably sew the deeper once, and don’t expect someone to do it for you. Consider this as a training.  
Sara looked at Nyssa who just escaped her look, she could feel the pain in her but she tried very well to hide it behind a cold demeanor. Sara passed by her and went to the bathroom to clean her self. She started to wash the blood and the water made a red puddle on the floor, one of the wounds was too deep and didn’t stopped bleeding. She found the medical kit and sew herself, tears were dripping from her face, but not from the physical pain, she wiped them up and hold her teeth, “ Tears are for the weak, I’m not going to give myself into emotions”. She returned to the room where were the others and Nyssa looked at her this time with disapproval  
• Aren’t you going to change – her white top turned red and pink from the water and the blood, her fresh wounds were shown through from the wet cloth  
• I don’t want to miss your discussion, what you two talk about – Sara answered that with cold unemotional voice even Nyssa was surprised how quickly she changed.  
• A guy with initials PB just called your dealer, we are discussing the possibility that this is our man. I will go to the police station to run the number. Mean while you two go back to your undercover – Nyssa left the room and the 2 women looked at each other.  
• You are ok – Bantira asked  
• Don’t act like you care – Sara was annoyed and wanted to leave the room but Bantira stopped her  
• These are the rules, you have to follow them. It wasn’t personal- Sara just smiled and left  
In the night she went as usual to work, the corset felt even more uncomfortable now but she liked how it made her feel, feminine but also powerful. Her mood was low and grumpy and she drunk couple of shots from the whiskey she poured to the clients. On the bar sat an attractive young woman with short hair and stylish feminine suit. She was with a small suitcase, probably coming from the airport. She ordered brandy and looked at her watch. After half an hour she looked at her watch again a little more annoyed.  
• I hope you didn’t get stood up – Sara poured her another one without asking  
• Actually I don’t care, life is too short to get worried about mediocre people who play you – she smiled at Sara and took a sip from her drink  
• A woman?  
• How did you guessed, Am I that obvious – the woman blushed, Sara smirked  
• Well, I knew a beautiful and smart woman wouldn’t waste her time on men  
• Women are worse – she said with more sad voice – I don’t know what is your experience but I always end up with people who doesn’t know what they want. And they make it so difficult. You didn’t say the right thing or acted appropriately, at some point they accuse you of being too cold but then the next one tells you that you are too needy. At the end I ended up in a circle of friends where I have more ex girlfriends than real friends and every new girl I meet someone from my company already dated her, or my exes start to date my other exes. At some point I stopped thinking the problem is in me but just that lesbians don’t want to commit, after a few months they got bored and want to move on. And because they don’t have this sexual urge all the time and they can’t have legally a family, they stay single and apologize themselves with that in the L chats everyone is weird and wants just sex. – she made a little pause and continued seeing that Sara was looking at her with interest – What is so wrong with just sex. It’s not like you are doing it with a guy who you don’t know whether he will threat you right, but some lesbians tell you that they can’t have sex with someone they don’t have feeling for. Sure I get that but then what is the point of fighting for the recognition as a queer lady when I can’t find a girlfriend and I can’t even get laid. – she smiled and took another sip – I am sorry, that was quite a long monologue  
• No, I understand you. I am just discovering my bisexuality and I think I know what you mean. Although I still think that women are this nice, beautiful, tender creatures and I feel like there is rarely one that I don’t like or feel connected to.  
• Yes, they are, but also very pretentious. And a lot of them are just straight. But good for you, exploring your sexuality – she smiled at her seductively and Sara smiled back with a wide smile.  
They talked a lot and Sara drunk a lot of whiskey. The woman’s date didn’t show up and she decided to go home, the bar was almost empty any way. They said goodbyes and she promised that she will come back to have again some drinks here. Sara went out a little after her to take out the garbage and saw, that two men has cornered her companion and were trying to rob her. One of them was pulling her suitcase holding a knife and the other was choking her, she was trying to fight back but he was stronger. “You have to be kidding me” Sara’s blood boiled and she felt a rush in her brain, she was still feeling the cuts on her body but she couldn’t stop her self. With few jumps she found herself next to the attackers.  
• Stop that – she warned them but they didn’t obey. Sara’s look has changed from her demeanor from a minute ago, she had this dark cold firm look and her eyes were piercing the air and there wasn’t a trace from the sweet nice girl she was in the bar talking to the woman and listening to her complains about love.  
• Hey you sexy, I love your clothes - the man with the knife pointed it towards Sara and tried to stab her, she escaped the hit and hit him back, with few kicks he dropped the knife but the other man left the woman alone and also attacked Sara. She punched his nose with her elbow, rolled over and took the knife, with couple of moves they were both death on the ground, Sara stabbed the one in the heart the other on the neck.  
The woman remained silent and numb but when the fight finished she cheered. She was also very drunk but the joy was natural.  
• Thank you – she said happy – You saved me, you are amazing, kicking ass in this outfit like a real superhero  
• Thank you – Sara smiled. She was kneeling in front of her victims checking them for documents but they both didn’t had any. – If you keep your mouth shut about that I’ll be grateful  
• Sure – Sara walked her new friend to her car and after that put the corpses in the trash container spilled some vodka over them and lit the containers on fire. She threw some buckets of water on the ground and the blood was washed on the draining system. “What ever happens it can’t be worse than her situation in the League” she thought.  
Nyssa went to the police department and made one of the officers trace the phone number. After a while he called her with urgency together with couple of other detectives on the case.  
• This is the same number Bisset used a year ago to bait one of his victims – the officer said very enthusiastic in French  
• English – Nyssa’s voice just split the air and all of the others looked at her, the officer swallowed his next words and repeated his sentence in English  
• So we got him, he new the dealer somehow?  
• We should send more forensics to his apartment – Nyssa wasn’t nervous about that, she already took care of that  
• We should try to trace the call and see if it will lead us to an address – she demanded  
• Sure, I am on it – the officer started his hacker’s magic  
An hour later Nyssa with couple of detectives were at the address, a nice urban house in the good parts of the residential Paris. The house was of 3 stories part of row houses with a vast hall and a dinning room. It was obvious that someone was living there and Nyssa rushed to find the office. In the drawer she found a lot of passports all with Paul’s face  
• It’s him, search for more evidences. – she looked through the window and saw a shadow sneaking on the corner across the street. – He is here – she shouted and rushed through the window. The other police officers followed. She jumped over the fence and crossed the street, the dark figure was running away, but she noticed his direction and run towards it. The man had advantage and all the other policemen were very behind him. Nyssa has studied the streets in the neighbourhood before she got here and she knew how to reach him. She cornered him at one small street but stayed hidden. He just passed next to her and she shot him with a small arrow with a tracker. When she got back she pretended to be very disappointed – Damn it, he was fast and we are too visible. Take all the evidence and let’s go. – she always sounded like a natural leader and no one questioned her decisions even though she was the new one, she managed to make all of them work for her.  
When she got home it was around 4 o’clock, Bantira was asleep and Sara was drinking in the kitchen. Nyssa’s voice filled the apartment and they both obeyed her orders to meet her in the living room.  
• I’m tracking Bisset now – she showed them her phone – It turned out that attacking the dealer wasn’t such a waist after all  
• Oh – Sara said snarky – So I didn’t mess up after all  
• You don’t expect an award now, do you? – Nyssa answered her with the same snark  
• Of course not, I am just your little puppet, a pawn in your game of power  
• Can we just cut of that drama for a while and the sexual tension and focus on the target – Bantira interrupted them and they both looked at her  
• When we have more knowledge where he is going we’ll make plan where and how to attack him – Nyssa tried to calm herself down and with this words she left the room  
• You should fight for her – Bantira said softly and Sara looked at her surprised  
• Seriously, you are giving me this advice?  
• She did the same with me, when the things got more serious she pushed me away and made it clear it’s just about sex. The thing is I don’t give a shit about love and you obviously do.  
• I thought it’s against the rules  
• It is, but you are the first person, who I’ve met, who already have been in the league almost a year and still don’t follow the rules blindly – Sara smiled gently  
• Thank you for the advice, I owe you.  
Nyssa stormed in:  
• Come on, our guy is moving, he went to Rue Froidevaux, we have to go.  
They reached the boulevard circled around and stopped at a parking.  
• I don’t see him. On my map it shows he is here but then where exactly? – Nyssa complained  
• This is the cemetary – Bantira continued, may be he is somewhere there  
• What is he doing here. Ok let’s check this.  
They got out of the car and entered the cemetery, it was a chilly night with refreshing air coming from the trees, at this part of the city it was a lot quieter and the calmness was even weird, only the wind in the trees and unknown whispers filled the air. The darkness was even thicker but they could easily see the massive tombstones and their silhouette created big rows like a whole army of soldiers on a silent battlefield.  
• He has to be exactly here, but he is not – Sara opened her phone too  
• Here are the Paris catacombs, he must be underground  
• That’s it, we have to go there, the entrance is from Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy  
• I don’t think he used the main entrance, it is probably with security and as I am checking he is in a place which is not part of the main tunnels of the catacombs  
• So there has to be an entrance somewhere here form the cemetery  
• Shouldn’t we find a map first, or wait for him here, it can be a trap – Sara protested  
• Are you scared, Ta-er al-Sahfer – Bantira looked at her with a challenge – We came here to find him and kill him, what a better place then the tunnel. Let’s go  
• And what worse – Sara murmured after she saw Nyssa following Bantira enthusiasm.  
They saw that the door of one of the bigger crypts is opened and entered. They started on their flash lights and saw a staircase leading to the underground and followed it. At the end of the stair they ended up in one of the tunnels of the catacombs. The air here was different thick and old with suffocation smell of wet mud and and dry dust at the same time. The walls were from stone used to build the old town of Paris, these quarries hold the remains of millions of death people through the century since from the 18th century for the lack of place for cemeteries the people started to burry the corspes in the catacombs. Sara found herself among thousands of bones and skulls, like in the palace of death. She already caused the death of numerous people and the coldness of the place filled with the remains of men and women and children made her shiver. Probably the League had something similar below their castle with all the people whose deaths they caused and all the soldiers who died on their arena.  
• The tracker shows that he is somewhere here but I don’t see a map.  
• So we’ll find him the old fashion way, aren’t we trained for this – Bantira was leading and the other were following.  
The tunnels were like a labyrinth and getting smaller which enhanced the feeling of claustrophobia. They heard a sound of falling stones and Bantira increased her pace at some point they almost saw a shadow and Bantira started running, Nyssa and Sara were following her but at one moment Nyssa shouted:  
• Bantira stop – but it was too late. She triggered a trap who exploided small explosives and the ceiling fell over them. Nyssa stopped on time and pushed Sara aside but Bantira remained on the other side. – This place is filled with traps, he must have known we are following him.  
• Bantira, are you all right – Sara shouted and waited for a response from the other side of the stone pile  
• Yes I’m fine but I don’t see you.  
• You are on your own now, either way I am sure these tunnels connect somewhere. – Nyssa said – We have to turn off out flashlights. He is near and with them he can see us coming.  
The place became completely dark. There wasn’t a single light that was coming from somewhere. Sara blinked but the darkness didn’t become less black. She had to use her other senses now to orientate. Nyssa suggested that they have to split and Sara was on her own. She started to touch the walls in order to support her direction and to remember the curves and the holes in the wall, most of them were human bones and skulls so she was like a blind person getting to know new people. She tried to calm her breathing down so she can hear the surrounding better but her heart was beating faster. She had a training in dark closed space with traps before in the League and this was one of the most difficult situations to go out of. She didn’t know where she was going but at some point she stopped and listened. Someone was approaching, she hold her breath, it could be Nyssa but it could be someone else, the pace was very even and confident so either Nyssa adapted very well or it was Bisset who knew the place. When the sound of the footsteps got stronger she turned suddenly around and hit something behind her with her flash light and the darkness hit her back, she dropped the flashlight but continued to defend herself from the invisible figure hidden in the black space in front of her. The kicks and the hits were coming from no where, she could see them but they weren’t missing her as target. The fight continued until she felt a stronger weight pressing her against the wall and an arm holding her throat.  
• Nice to finally meet you miss Lance – she heard a male voice with a French accent saying very close to her so she could feel his breath, she hasn’t heard this name for quite a while and this gave her a strange sensation  
• Who are you? How do you know my name?  
• You very well know who am I, Sara. – the man lit his flash light so she can see his face - I saw you at my favourite bar and at first I thought, how nice a new sexy barman, but I am very cautious so I checked you out. There aren’t a lot of things about you in the recent years, except that you are this undercover version – Simon an art exchange student. But then I saw you demolishing my dealer and later kick the ass of some robbers with an ease of a ninja warrior. – she could hear him smile – Honestly I was impressed, you looked very bad ass in that outfit, saving innocent women. I wanted to know more about you so I dug further and imagine my surprise when I found your death certificate, but with another name – Sara Lance – Sara stayed silent, but when she heard that she shivered again – Oh, I can see this made you nervous, maybe you didn’t knew your parents announced you as dead. Your father is a detective isn’t he.  
• Leave him, alone. If you touch him, I’ll cut your eyes and feed them to you.  
• You are very passionate, the League didn’t manage to brainwash you completely, why don’t you join me  
• Join you? – Sara laughed  
• You will have the chance to see you father again, your family  
• So I’ll be free and have a normal life, I doubt that’s what you are offering, more likely kill people for you  
• Normal is overrated, and I am far better than these medieval barbarians. I don’t torture my people.  
• I’m sorry but I’ll pass- Sara answered in disgust  
• That was a mistake, I know where your family lives, I can visit them any time and you will be locked up in you castle thinking what I might do to them  
Sara screamed and her voice echoed, she pushed him really hard, the anger gave her strength and she managed to free herself from his grip. He took a knife out and turned off the flash, she tried to escape his hit but he stabbed her in the leg, the blade pierced her instantly and the pain hit her immediately, she felt weaker and stumbled, he was about to hit her again this time in the stomach when something stopped him, a very firm hand hold his, twisted it and pulled the knife of, there was a short struggle in the dark and then some footsteps of someone running away. Sara stood feeling alone on the dark, pressing her wound and trying very hard to see what was going on. Someone touched her gently on the hair and caressed her.  
• Nyssa – Sara squeaked  
• Don’t move, let me help you – Nyssa answered. She bandaged her leg and supported Sara’s body – Let’s go  
• Where are we going, what happened with Bisset  
• He escaped. You are right, this was a trap, he made a lot of snares in which we can get in to, we have to be very careful. He also has a night vision glasses. He sees us we don’t see him. I lost my flashlight when the ceiling fell the first time. Let’s go this way, that’s where he went.  
• My father told me about a case he investigated once about a serial killer who liked to hold his victims in a dark basement and play with them until they die from the traps he made.  
• I guess you learned a lot from him. Were you going to take his offer to see your father? – Nyssa asked with a tremor in her voice  
• And why are you so afraid Nyssa? From yours? You told me that the freedom is subjective and a beggar on the street who doesn’t have anything can feel more free than a woman going to her work in the office with air conditioner who pours cold air over head every day and don’t have the choice of anything else no matter she has the money the apartment. – Nyssa sighed.  
• I’m not afraid of him, I’m afraid of feelings, to loose someone, to get hurt. Someday you are going to leave me, aren’t you?  
• But I am here now – Sara tried to look her in the eyes in the dark – And I wasn’t going to take his offer. – Nyssa stopped suddenly.  
• There’s something infront of us – she took a coin out of her pocket a threw it, it echoed on the stone ground once but then the sound disappeared  
• One more step and we will fell in a shaft. Your voice sounded differently so I knew the space changed in fron of us. – Sara took a deep breath. This game was deadly. – He is on the other side, we have to catch him. – Nyssa took out a rope and swing it. With couple of attempts they crossed on the other side and continued. They took of their boots to make no noise. Sara’s leg was hurting but she tried to walk and not to slow down the party. Nyssa was very careful and measured every step, one wrong and it could have been fatal.  
• We have already been here – she stopped at one place and whispered very quietly to Sara’s ear.  
• How do you know  
• I remember it from the carvings on the walls. He wants us to continue forward but a few steps backwards there is a turn that will lead us behind him.  
They made how Nyssa suggested and took the turn, they walked very slowly and tried to hold their breaths. Nyssa smelled him and when she knew she is close enough she attacked him. He didn’t expect her from behind and she got him with a surprise. Sara managed to take the flash light and to switch it on. Now Nyssa could easily see her opponent and knocked his gargles out. Sara switched off the light again and it became complete darkness. Bisset didn’t had an advantage anymore while Nyssa was trained in situations like that. She smashed him in no time and held his head in her hands.  
• I am sorry Monsieur Bisset but as a medieval barbarian I am going to cut your head off. – he breathed heavily trying to say something but Nyssa didn’t give him a chance and slit his artery, the blood poured like a fountain. Sara switched on the light and saw the sight of Bisset lying dead on the ground in a puddle of blood and Nyssa standing above him.  
• We have to go, she searched his clothes. He has a map.  
• Wait, we have to find Bantira.  
• We are not responsible for her, she made that messy decision and she has to get out of it  
• We are a team, we have to protect each other. – Nyssa looked at Sara and kissed her still holding the knife in her hand  
• I love you Ta-er al-Sahfer! – She said slowly and emotionally. Sara smiled with the irony to receive a love confession in a place where only death lives, she was tired, hurt and dirty but this simple sentence made her feel entoxicated  
• I love you Nyssa – she said too and kissed her again.


End file.
